Among the Sea Lions at Los Islotes
The navigation in the Gulf of California is exciting because one can reach any remote, isolated and interesting location by boat. This was the case today when we arrived at one of the favorite spots in Baja. The place is called Los Islotes, or simply, The Islets. The objectives: observe the active resident colony of California sea lions, and the many marine birds that perch on the steep, reddish, guano-covered, volcanic rocks.
The lack of native land predators due to the island’s isolation is the most important parameter that these animals took into consideration to live here. In addition, the rich waters of the gulf, also called Sea of Cortes or Vermilion Sea, provide enough schooling fish, squid and shellfish as to maintain large numbers of these animals and other larger marine mammals. Several hundred individuals were observed this morning in a multitude of occupations. Many were just laying on the rocks in heavy digestion, others were competing for space, and some more were playing in the water. All of these activities were better appreciated during our Zodiac cruises, and later by a refreshing snorkel among them. The Sea Bird’s Undersea Specialist also took a chance and got a lot of interesting footage.
The birds were also superb, as we observed peregrine falcons, brown bobbies, blue-footed bobbies with their still downy-looking chicks, frigate birds chasing other birds, turkey vultures and great blue herons. However, another interesting species showed up: it was a group of probably 14 slow-moving, jumping mobulas, an endemic gulf species related to the manta rays, but much smaller. They were jumping out of the water repeatedly as if they were trying to fly and become birds. The day ended with an agreeable cocktail party onshore at San Francisco island, and later a barbecue on the Sea Bird’s sundeck, observing the unequaled sunset in the Vermilion Sea.
The navigation in the Gulf of California is exciting because one can reach any remote, isolated and interesting location by boat. This was the case today when we arrived at one of the favorite spots in Baja. The place is called Los Islotes, or simply, The Islets. The objectives: observe the active resident colony of California sea lions, and the many marine birds that perch on the steep, reddish, guano-covered, volcanic rocks.
The lack of native land predators due to the island’s isolation is the most important parameter that these animals took into consideration to live here. In addition, the rich waters of the gulf, also called Sea of Cortes or Vermilion Sea, provide enough schooling fish, squid and shellfish as to maintain large numbers of these animals and other larger marine mammals. Several hundred individuals were observed this morning in a multitude of occupations. Many were just laying on the rocks in heavy digestion, others were competing for space, and some more were playing in the water. All of these activities were better appreciated during our Zodiac cruises, and later by a refreshing snorkel among them. The Sea Bird’s Undersea Specialist also took a chance and got a lot of interesting footage.
The birds were also superb, as we observed peregrine falcons, brown bobbies, blue-footed bobbies with their still downy-looking chicks, frigate birds chasing other birds, turkey vultures and great blue herons. However, another interesting species showed up: it was a group of probably 14 slow-moving, jumping mobulas, an endemic gulf species related to the manta rays, but much smaller. They were jumping out of the water repeatedly as if they were trying to fly and become birds. The day ended with an agreeable cocktail party onshore at San Francisco island, and later a barbecue on the Sea Bird’s sundeck, observing the unequaled sunset in the Vermilion Sea.
