Born and raised in Mexico City, Fernando moved to Puerto Vallarta in 1999 to study marine biology and pursue his love of nature. During his studies he collaborated on different research projects including humpback whale and bottlenose dolphin photo-identification and conservation of blue-footed boobies. His thesis was the first study done in the area about marine mammals. He has been a member of the Mexican Society for the Study of Marine Mammals since 2000. He splits his busy schedule between his two passions: research and guiding. Currently he is working on the humpback whale photo-identification catalog in Banderas Bay as well as guiding monarch butterfly and humpback whale trips.

Upcoming Adventures with Fernando:
Kingdom of the Monarchs
Monarch Butterfly Photo Adventure
Patagonia Wilderness & Wildlife Explorer - Photo Tour

Praise from Nat Hab travelers:

S. Rayner
“Fernando was awesome! He has a great personality and professionalism, and he made the trip wonderful! He has a great knowledge of the monarchs as well as birds. I enjoyed listening about his research on the whales and his passion for nature. He is in a class of his own!”

D. Bronsteter
"Fernando was the most helpful, hilarious and caring Expedition Leader! He understood my dietary restrictions during the trip, and made sure that all the food I would be getting was cooked with those restrictions in mind. He also helped me get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 on the way home at Mexico City airport—if he hadn't, I wouldn't have known where to go at all! Between him and the rest of the people on the trip, I couldn't stop laughing—I couldn't have asked for a better guide!"

H. Short
“Fernando went to every length to ensure that everyone was enjoying themselves and happy. What a great guy!”

D. Levesque
"Fernando was fantastic! He was very professional and kind (he bought me cough drops when he noticed I had a bad cough). He was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the natural habitats we encountered. He never got tired of answering the same questions over and over again, and nobody felt left out. Communication was clear and concise, and it was hard to believe he has only spoken English for a short time. He was considerate of each traveler's needs and safety. He is a treasure. If I only had one word to describe Fernando it would be 'joyful'."

D. Harder
“Fernando was thoughtful, polite, funny, charming, extremely knowledgeable and competent—in short, excellent!”

M. Chandler
“Fernando was terrific. He went out of his way to make sure we were all comfortable, having a good time, seeing whales and understanding everything about the activity. He was a terrific conversationalist on the tour and at meals. He went out of his way to take us to a release of leatherback sea turtles into the ocean. We have nothing but the highest regard for him.”

A. Anstet
"I can't even say enough about how Fernando made this trip absolutely amazing. He was professional, helpful, humorous, open, genuine, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and kind beyond measure. We learned so much about turtles and ocean life, experienced the local culture, laughed until it hurt and were challenged to make a difference. What a great guy. I would be honored to travel with him again."

T. Bennett
"We loved Fernando. He was an awesome Expedition Leader who went out of his way to make sure everyone had the best time possible. The quality of the Expedition Leaders at Nat Hab is extraordinary. We hope we get to travel with Fernando again."

J. Juca
"Fernando was great! He catered to special food needs I have, showed excitement and passion for his work, was kind and honest and dealt well with unexpected things that came up on the trip."

M. McCoy
"Fernando is the most passionate and enthusiastic guide we have ever had. His reaction to the first whale shark we saw was unbelievable. He was so excited, as if he'd never seen one before, but it was because he was so happy that we were seeing one. He's a lot of fun and has a great sense of humor. He also went out of his way to make sure that my wife was enjoying the experience too since she does not swim and offered to take her and hold her hand if she wanted to try to get in the water."

D. Bres
"Fernando was the best Expedition Leader we have had. He joined the group and shared far more than information about the whale sharks and other environmental topics. Unlike other trips we have been on where the guide met us prior to the morning departure and disappeared upon return, the fact that Fernando joined us for meals and conversations added immeasurably to the experience. While we thanked him directly for his accessibility, we want you to know as well."