Whale Wonders in Cabo San Lucas
If you travel to the tip of Baja California Peninsula in the middle of winter, you will find its waters swamped with humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). There is whales hurling their bodies skyward, whales swinging around their powerful tails, whales slapping the surface with their long pectoral fins, whales singing complex songs...impressive displays as far as the heart can see!
Meanwhile, pregnant females give birth and calves begin their lives. Baby humpback whales gain weight quickly, drinking hundreds of litres of milk per day. They frolick around the coastal waters, imitating their mothers and "escort" whales - alternating between breaching sprees, tail slap sessions, and periods of rest. Vulnerable bundles of joy.
Though their time together does not last very long, mothers and calves share a strong bond. For about a year, mothers will fiercely protect their calves and teach them all they need to know. Not all calves make it through their first year of life. Some fall victim to rowdy suitors or predation by orcas. Across the North Pacific, many humpback whales carry the scars of a perilous start...
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