Viewing the Humpback Whales

The life expectancy of humpback whales is 45 years. Their gestation period lasts 12 months. Calves are born in tropic and subtropical waters. During their birth the first thing to show is the fluke. At birth, a whale calf is between 4 and 5 meters long and weights between 1,300 and 1,400 kgs. Females nurse their calves for a year at which time the calf doubles in size to between 7 and 8 tons. Adult females are 18 meters long and can weight up to 53 tons. Viewing these majestic animals is even more exciting from your own beachfront property or condominium.

Their most distinctive feature of the humpback whale is their long pectoral fins, which can be as long as one third of the length of their bodies. The fins may be black on their dorsal part and completely white on their ventral part.

Whales do not have vocal cords but they do have the capacity to emit sounds (moans, squeaks, cries) through valves located in their larynx. The sounds last for an average of 6 to 35 minutes and are high pitched.

In the fall, humpback whales leave their feeding grounds in the Gulf of Alaska, the sea of Bering, the sea of Chuckchi, and the sea of Okhotsk, and travel towards the Pacific coast of Mexico. They gather mainly in the surroundings of the Marias Islands, the Isabel Islands, the Revillagigedo Archipelago as well as the Bay of Banderas, in Nayarit and Jalisco.

At the end March and during the first days of April, the whales begin their long journey back to the polar region. The whale calves have learned to swim but they remain close to their mothers for food and protection. You can contact your local Mexico Real Estate agent to find available properties and avoid the long journey back.