Latin America
The longest recorded migration by a mammal was made by a gray whale. In 2015, a female made a journey of nearly 14,000 miles from Russia to Mexico and back. (Zebras hold the longest linear—endpoint to endpoint—land mammal migration at 300 miles round trip.)
Conservation
In 2020, Karen Douthwaite, WWF’s Lead Ocean Specialist, joined Nat Hab during their climate change trip series, where travelers could learn about the threats to our planet while seeing some of its most precious wildlife. WWF regularly hosts “Ask Me Anything” or AMAs on their Instagram account, where followers can submit questions directly to experts while they are in the field.
Videos
In our imaginations, nothing symbolizes our seas more than whales. These bigger-than-life creatures imbue our oceans with life, with song and with majesty, mystery and myth. If anything else represents our oceans more, I can’t think of it. That thought is a bit ironic because there was a time when whales walked the Earth.
Nature & Wildlife
One of the largest mammals on earth, gray whales intrigue us not only by their size but with also their actions. They exude peace and gracefulness.
Nature & Wildlife
Humans, eat your heart out—in the animal kingdom, there are many endurance athletes! The monarch butterfly flies 3,000 miles to its winter grounds in Mexico. Caribou (also known as reindeer), which are found in the northern parts of Europe, Asia and North America, can travel up to 3,100 miles (5,000 km) in search for food.
Nature & Wildlife
Whenever I write about a specific nature or travel topic, I try to think about the extent to which my experience with it has shaped my own life. In the case of the mystical, magical, majestic gray whale, I can only answer by saying, “profoundly.”
Videos
Drones. The word conjures up reconnaissance missions and surveillance—even, perhaps, missiles and bombs. Like something out of a science fiction novel, these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS) are controlled either by “pilots” from the ground or a preset program. Increasingly, however, drones are being employed in more peaceful projects.
News & More
Early February census numbers indicate a record number of Pacific gray whales in San Ignacio Lagoon this winter – the highest number since census keeping in the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve began in 1978. This month’s count identified 197 adults and 155 calves for a total of 312 whales.
