The
killer whale season
in the Península Valdés region, on the northeast of Chubut, will begin on
March 16
with a series of activities that will take place over a week, with exhibitions at the Pampa Azul Ecocentre in Puerto Madryn, in addition to others in Puerto Pirámides and a visit to the Punta Norte sighting area, said María José Pögler, undersecretary of tourism for Chubut.
The official explained that "the program is subject to details, it will include photographic samples and it is very likely that there will also be activities for the little ones."
The opening of the season coincides with the
Orca Provincial Day
, instituted on March 16 because on that date 12 years ago the last sighting of the specimen named "Mel" was recorded on the coast of Punta Norte, on the eastern face of Península Valdés.
Orca watching season in Península Valdés, Chubut.
Photo Maxi Jonas / Madryn Tourism
The launch activity will run from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 March and the presence of national media, specially invited nature photographers and influencers is expected.
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) can be observed in Península Valdés
from March to mid-year
, which makes this portion of Chubut's geography a highly appreciated place for scientists, cameramen, and nature-loving photographers.
This type of killer whale is known for its particular method of hunting for food, the "intentional stranding", which consists of deliberately stranding on the beach to capture pups of sea lions and elephant seals.
The incredible photo of a "flying dolphin" taken recently on the shores of Puerto Madryn.
Photo: Telam/Maxi Jonas
In Península Valdés, three clans of killer whales
made up of eleven, five and four specimens, respectively, have been identified
and practice the "stranding" technique in groups led by the largest female.
A paradise of marine fauna all year round
In the area of Península Valdés and Puerto Madryn, throughout the summer there is a kind of "festival of species": in addition to the orcas that come to the shore to hunt sea lion pups and elephant seals, the protected areas of Punta Tombo and San Lorenzo are full of Magellanic penguins, which come to the area in September to breed and stay until mid-April.
You can also see up close, on the beach,
elephant seals
and on boat rides,
bottlenose dolphins
, and snorkeling and diving with
sea lions
, which swim and interact with visitors in the Punta Loma reserve.
Whale watching in Península Valdés.
Photo Maxi Jonas/Telam.
And one of the main activities that has grown the most in recent years is dolphin watching -from December to March-, which usually swim in groups of up to 200 specimens and swim, jumping and doing aerobatics near the tourist boats.
And in winter -from May to the beginning of December-, the great stars of the area are the southern right whales, since hundreds of specimens -in recent years there have been close to 1,500- reach the waters of the Nuevo and San Matías to mate and give birth to their young, which are taught to swim in the area, offering an incomparable spectacle.
In 2019, whale watching in the Valdés Peninsula Protected Natural Area was recognized as the best in the region, winning the World Travel Award as "Leading Whale Watching Destination in South America".
look too
Stories, landscapes and an incredible fauna of the steppe and sea, between Camarones and Bahía Bustamante
The incredible photo of the "flying dolphin" in Puerto Madryn