Orcas of the Baja California Peninsula: apex predators in a unique ecosystem

Orcas in Loreto by our founder and expedition leader at Baja Adventures (Regenerative tourism) Regina Domingo

Orcas have always captivated human imagination. Their undeniable intelligence and physical prowess make them top predators wherever they go. They can be found in the waters around Baja California year-round.The presence of orcas indicates that marine ecosystems and populations of other marine species around Baja are healthy. Orcas are considered an umbrella species, selected for making conservation-related decisions because their protection indirectly safeguards other species within their ecological community. When we protect orcas and their habitat, we protect all species that depend on these marine environments, including ourselves.Orcas in Baja California feed on a wide variety of species found in the waters of Baja California, including mobula rays, sharks, dolphins, squid, turtles, and whales. Depending on the culture of each ecotype, their menu options may vary. Understanding the orca populations of Baja is key to understanding and protecting all other species in the area.

Orca pod in Loreto, Baja California Sur by our founder and expedition leader at Baja Adventures (Regenerative tourism) Regina Domingo

Orcas in Loreto by our guide Leopoldo Sanmiguel

We have chosen the orca as a marine ambassador at Baja Adventures and Nakawe Project both for its captivating effect on human imagination and for its representation of a healthy environment. Baja Adventures aims to provide people with meaningful interactions with nature and wildlife to inspire greater conservation efforts. What better animal to help us achieve this goal than the orca?They are powerful and intelligent, everything that the future conservationists of the world should be. The orcas of Baja California offer hope for a healthy ocean and provide people with meaningful experiences outside of captivity.Join us for a Marine Safari; they are unpredictable and live in these waters. Only by being out there in their world can we truly know and protect them.