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A Guide to a Suscessfull Whale Whatching
Whale watching season has begun. To celebrate it, we present you with the very best information to enjoy whale watching in Banderas Bay, knowing and understanding the secret life of the whales and the simple rules, but of outmost importance to watch them in a RESPONSIBLE way.Knowing the Humpback Whales Humpback whales are found in the world’s oceans and seas. Originally they were land animals, and a long and slow evolution brought them back to the sea, so each and every centimeter and each gram of their huge body has adapted to live in the sea. Considered amongst the five largest whales in the world, they can measure between 14 and 16 meters long. They do not have teeth, instead, they have a thick keratin “beard” that hangs from their upper jaw, allowing them to filter their food that goes from tiny crustaceous of as little as 2 centimeters long, to 15 centimeter fish. In winter, they do not eat, they live out of the fat they accumulated in their bodies during the Summer, when they can eat up to one ton of food in the northern freezing waters. They weigh around 40 tons and when their offspring are born they are up to 4 meters long and weigh around one ton. After birth, the whale calves drink up to 70 liters of milk per day made up of 45% fat. Curious Fact: The cetaceous ( the whales and the dolphins) and the ungulades (elephants, cows, camels, manatíes and horses, etc) come from the same ancestor. The first whales appeared 36 thousand years ago; it is believed that the humpback whale appeared between 5 and 12 million years ago! Why are they humpbacks? Although they do not have a hump, their name comes from the way they visibly arch their bodies to go under water after taking air, having the necessary impulse to quickly go under water. This movement ends when their gigantic tail is seen, it can measure as much as five meters wide, which means that it will be some time before they come out again to breath. Another feature that sets them apart from the other whale species is the length of their pectoral fins (they are the longest of any of the whales), because they also measure five meters long and one meter wide. This is the feature that gives it its scientific name: Megaptera Novaeangliae, that is literally translated as “New England’s big wings” Curious fact: In the XVIII and XIX centuries, the Bay of Banderas was known as the Bay of the Humpbacks because of the great number of whales that were here. The first scientific record of the humpback whale in Mexico was in 1874, here in our Bay of Banderas. Why do whales mígrate? Although they spend most of their time in polar zones, whales need to mígrate for several months to warmer waters to reproduce and give birth to their newborn, traveling up to 25 thousand kilometers. The reason is that the baby whales would not be able to survive in colder waters because they are born without the layer of fat that isolates the lower temperatures. The conception or pregnancy period takes around 11 months, so the females that reproduced this winter, will come back next year to give birth. Curious Fact: Whales keep a constant temperture of 36 degrees Celsius, even if they live in a 4 degree Celsius temperature weather because of a layer of fat that they have that is up to 30 centimeters. In warmer waters they get “hot” so they have to be less active or sink a little bit deeper to refresh themselves. A 'water spout' that is neither water nor spout Usually, comics, stories and tales tell how a water spout comes out of the whale’s nasal cavity that can be seen every time they come up to the surface. In reality, what you see is what comes out when they breath (they have lungs like we do) and it is made up of water vapor and carbon dioxide, but when it comes out with such force, it takes a bit of water out to the surface, forming small drops that make up a “cloud” better known as a puff. Each whale species has a peculiar way of puffing, shaping a characteristic and unique puff that allows us to know they are there, just by looking at it. Curious fact: In a single moment, it can get 90% of the air of its lungs back; according to the activity they carry out they can stop breathing ¡for more than 25 minutes! War of the sexes, an extraordinary behaviour As always, there are more males than females that are available to mate, males are in a constant mating war with the females that are available including those that have just given birth. Jumping, flapping their fins and wings, constant struggle and blows are necessary to show the females that they are healthy to reproduce, but also to keep the other competing males as far away as possible, using more subtle and (still uncomprehended) seduction techniques through their secret weapon: their chant. Curious Fact: Whales do not have vocal chords. All the sounds that they produce are sent without the need of freeing even one air bubble. In a few words, these powerful sounds are generated 'from the deepest part of their being'. The chanting of the whales There are old tales in which men of the sea from the past heard singing from the depths, that is where the legends on singing mermaids come from. It is believed that what they really heard were whales singing, it could be heard on the surface of the water, near them. The sound the whales make is so strong that, it is believed to travel hundreds, even thousands of kilometers away. Whale singing is considered to be one of the most complex communication mechanisms to exist in the animal kingdom, made up of patterns of acute and low sounds that vary in range and frequency, repeating inserted and coherent sequences. A whale can keep on singing for hours, repeating over and over again the same song. It’s important to mention that only the males sing, using it as a way of warning their adversaries and to attract the attention of other whales. Mysteriously, all the members of one same group sing the same song during the mating season, no matter where they are. This song is subtly modified each year,as an “on style song”. Curious fact: Scientists believe that before the 1990 decade, some of the sounds produced by the whales could travel up to 1600 kilometers. Today because of the sea’s sound pollution, these sounds can not be heard more than 400 kilometers at a distance, 4 times less! Jumps: the máximum demonstration of power We all want to see a whale jump and humpback whales are experts on this subject. In order to be able to bring their 40 ton body out of the water an impulse equal to the energy an average person needs in a day’s activity (around 2500 calories), the difference is that a whale can jump many times for hours. For their size, all this energy would be equal to the energy our body uses to jump rope. Why they jump, is not fully understood, but they are for cleaning and communication purposes, because when they hit the water again, dead skin as well as parasites are eliminated from their bodies. When you see mother whales jumping with their newborns, their jumps are more an exercising and learning game for the offspring. Curious fact: When the whale goes under water, it produces such a powerful countercurrent with its tail, that it leaves a print or mirror on the surface that can remain visible for several minutes. The whale’s impulse when jumping is so strong that the movement of its tail can be heard with an under water microphone (hydrophone). The current population of humpback whales After 200 years of continuously hunting them, the population of humpback whales has been reduced 90%. That is to say that by the 1980’s decade there was only around 10% of the original population in which 250 thousand died. As of 1966, when there were only 1,500 humpback whales left, they started to get international protection along with other species. Today, it is well known that in the northern pacific there are around 20 thousand humpback whales, but the the number of the whole population is unknown. Every individual is ecognized by the unique traits of their tails that are like 'finger prints'. Curious fact: Sooner or later whales go back to their birth place. More than 450 different whales come to the Bay of Banderas every year, but only the mothers with offspring stay the whole season the rest 'come and go' to and from the Bay. Watching Whales with RESPONSIBILITY Mexico is a country that takes care and protects whales since 1938, currently, the humpback whale is subject to special protection by the Mexican official regulations NOM 059-ECOL-2001 and NOM.131.SEMARNAT.2010. The latter establishes specifications and outlines for the development of whale watching activities, relative to their protection and the conservation of their environment. To achieve friendly and respectful whale watching, we recommend the following: 1. The best way to go whale watching is to hire a company authorized by the SEMARNAT to carry out this activity. You can identify this permit by the special flag that must be shown at all times on the boat. It has an embroidered whale, and SEMARNAT is written on it along with a registry number, 2. Always look for a small boat (less than 30 feet long). Big boats are harder to maneuver and you can not get close to the whalesm plus they are noisier and pollute more. 3. Invest in your trip. Usually, cheap tours are not professional. Generally a bit more expensive tours will guarantee a professional and responsible service. Do not fall into illegality to save a few bucks. 4. Enjoy the Show. Do not be affraid of the whales because although they can get closet o the boat and even swim under, you are not in any danger. Take advantage and take pictures, and ¡Enjoy the moment! Although we have caused them a lot of harm, it is undeniable that the whales are aware that we are intelligent beings and show respect and are even curious of those that observe them in the ocean. The question is: Are we sufficiently aware of them to take care and respect them? While we open up our eyes, let’s open up our hearts to these generous beings and lets all say Welcome whales! |
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