The Honest Truth About Swimming With Orcas in La Ventana, Baja
Have you seen countless Instagram reels of people claiming they swam with orcas in La Ventana, Baja, Mexico — and now dream of experiencing that moment for yourself?
You’re not alone.
Orcas are powerful, intelligent, emotional animals. Seeing them in the wild — let alone swimming near them — can be deeply moving and unforgettable.
But before you book a trip with the sole goal of swimming with orcas, there’s something important you need to understand.
This article isn’t here to sell you a fantasy. It’s here to share the truth — so your expectations can meet reality, and you can decide whether coming to Baja with the goal of swimming with orcas is truly the right choice for you.
A Bit of Context: Swimming With Orcas Was Never the Norm
Just a few years ago, ocean safaris and orca-focused tourism barely existed in Baja California.
Operators would occasionally see orcas while traveling to fishing grounds or dive sites — a few sightings per year, if lucky. Some operators using spotter planes increased their chances of seeing them, but even then, encounters were rare and unpredictable.
Back then, swimming with orcas was never something you planned for. It was something that happened by chance.
How Ocean Safaris Changed Orca Encounters
As ocean safaris grew in popularity, more boats began heading offshore specifically searching for wildlife.
With more boats looking, there were more sightings — including more encounters with orcas.
And with that, something shifted.
Visibility increased — not predictability.
Orcas didn’t suddenly become more common. There were simply more boats actively searching for them.
At the same time, social media exploded with images and videos of people swimming with orcas, creating the impression that these encounters were frequent, repeatable, and almost guaranteed.
They are not.
When It Became Too Much
At some point, the desire to swim with orcas crossed an ethical line.
For many operators, content creation and ego — “I swam with an orca” — became more important than the animals’ wellbeing.
What we started seeing more often:
Dropping people into the water while orcas were actively hunting
Separating family members
Cutting across their path
Boats chasing orcas for hours
10, 20, sometimes 30+ boats pursuing the same pod
These behaviors disrupt natural hunting, social bonds, and movement patterns.
This is not curiosity. This is pressure.
Guía gratuita — descarga instantánea
Ocean-Ready: Practical Guide for Marine Wildlife Encounters
Written by a marine biologist. Everything you need to know before getting in the water with wild animals — how to move, breathe, read animal behavior, and be a conscious traveler.
How to move without disturbing wildlife
Reading animal behavior — let them lead
Camera etiquette: eyes first, lens second
Conservation in motion: how to give back
Wildlife calendar for Baja California Sur
Sin spam. Solo historias del océano y consejos de apnea. Puedes darte de baja cuando quieras.
The Truth Behinf Instagram Videos of Swimming with Orcas
Let’s talk honestly about Instagram and the idea of swimming with orcas.
Yes — orca content sells. A lot.
But what Instagram rarely tells you:
Many “swim with orcas” tours are marketed dishonestly
Some viral videos are slowed down, making evasive behavior look calm or curious
Orcas are not seen frequently year-round
Orcas travel vast distances daily and cannot be scheduled
Ask yourself: How would you feel if 20 boats chased you and your family all day, cutting you off and dropping people in front of you?
That is not a natural interaction — and it is not ethical wildlife tourism.
Selling guaranteed opportunities to swim with orcas in the wild is simply not honest.
It’s Not All Bad: Ethical Orca Encounters Do Exist
Not every orca encounter is harmful.
When pressure is low. When boats are respectful. When animals are relaxed.
Orcas can be curious, calm, and even playful.
And when swimming with orcas happens under those conditions — on , terms — it can be one of the most profound wildlife experiences on Earth.
These encounters still exist. But they require patience, restraint, and respect.
A Step in the Right Direction: Orca Regulations in Mexico
This plan regulates how orca encounters should be handled in La Ventana.
It is still new. It will continue evolving. And it will require enforcement.
But it is a necessary step toward protecting orcas in the wild.
How We Approach Swimming With Orcas at Freefall Academy
At Freefall Academy, we don’t sell “swim with orcas” tours or expeditions.
We stand firmly by ethical wildlife encounters.
That means:
If we arrive at an orca sighting and see heavy boat pressure, we leave
We do not chase or crowd animals
We do not force interactions
Sometimes we enter the water — sometimes we don’t
This can be difficult for guests when their dream of swimming with orcas feels so close.
But these are wild animals. Families. Mothers with calves. Animals with culture, communication, and memory.
If they are being harassed, we choose not to participate.
Our approach is simple: we search for wildlife independently and let encounters happen naturally.
Most days, we don’t find orcas. But most days, we find something extraordinary.
A Necessary Shift in Mentality
Coming to Baja should not be about ticking “swim with orcas” off a bucket list.
While swimming with orcas is possible, it should always be the cherry on top, never the expectation.
If your only goal is swimming with orcas, Baja — and especially Freefall Academy — may not be the right fit.
However, if you want:
Long days at sea
One of the most biodiverse places on Earth for large marine animals
Experiences guided by a marine biologist
Ethical encounters rooted in respect, not pressure
And the openness to be surprised by what the ocean decides to give
Then you’re exactly who this experience is for.
How to Increase Your Chances of Seeing Orcas (Honestly)
There are no guarantees when it comes to orcas — but there are meaningful differences between our Ocean Safaris and our Mobula Ray Expeditions when it comes to search effort y time at sea.
Ocean Safaris
Ocean Safaris are single-day trips, usually around 6 hours on the water.
They are exploratory and dynamic, and between April and August this is when we most often encounter orcas on a day-trip basis. These trips are ideal if:
You have limited time in Baja
You want an incredible wildlife experience in one day
You’re open to whatever the ocean offers
Orcas are a possibility — never an expectation.
Mobula Ray Expeditions
Mobula Ray Expeditions are multi-day expeditions designed around searching.
During Abril a Junio, massive mobula ray aggregations form in this region. These aggregations sometimes attract apex predators, including orcas.
What makes expeditions different:
Multiple consecutive days at sea
Longer days on the water — typically 8 to 10+ hours
Time to adapt, read conditions, and recognize patterns
Far more flexibility to follow the ocean, not a fixed schedule
Simply put: more days + more hours + more searching = higher chances.
If seeing orcas is important to you — and you’re comfortable with uncertainty, long days, and no guarantees — a Mobula Ray Expedition offers your best shot.
The Bottom Line
Ocean Safaris are an incredible way to explore Baja’s wildlife in a single day.
But if your goal is to maximize your chances of encountering orcas in the wild, expeditions — especially during mobula season — provide the most search time, the most flexibility, and the highest realistic odds.
Still, orcas remain rare. And that rarity is exactly what makes the encounter meaningful.
A Final Reminder
Come with an open mind. Release expectations. Trust the process.
When you stop chasing the idea of swimming with orcas, the ocean often gives you something far more meaningful.
La Ventana · Baja California Sur
Come for all of it.
Baja's ocean is endlessly alive — mobulas, dolphins, sea lions, and if you're super lucky orcas and other rare animals. Our experiences are about showing up with an open heart and letting the sea surprise you. No scripts. No guarantees. Just the wild.
Swimming with Orcas in Mexico is Now Legal in La Ventana, Baja: Here’s All You Need to Know
Introducción: contexto del nado con orcas en México
Por primera vez en la historia, nadar con orcas en México es oficialmente legal — pero solo bajo condiciones muy específicas.
En julio de 2025, el gobierno mexicano publicó el “Plan de Manejo Temporal para la Interacción Responsable con Orcas en La Ventana, Baja California Sur.” Esta nueva regulación finalmente define cómo los humanos pueden entrar al agua con orcas de forma segura y ética.
Hasta ahora, los encuentros existían en una zona legal gris. No había reglas — solo improvisación. Algunos capitanes se acercaban con responsabilidad; otros no. Sin límites claros, el acoso se volvió común: las embarcaciones rodeaban los grupos, los motores se acercaban demasiado, y las orcas eran perseguidas en busca de la foto perfecta.
Esta nueva ley busca cambiar eso. Es el primer intento real de manejar los encuentros con orcas de una manera que proteja tanto a los animales como a las personas en el agua. No es perfecta — de hecho, es un período de prueba de un año diseñado para evaluar y ajustar el sistema — pero es un paso crucial hacia un futuro donde el turismo oceánico y la conservación puedan coexistir verdaderamente.
Nuestros capitanes ahora cuentan con los primeros permisos oficiales para nadar con orcas en La Ventana, y vemos este momento como algo más que emocionante — es una responsabilidad. . .
Después de años operando en una zona legal gris, México finalmente ha establecido su primer plan oficial de manejo para nadar y observar orcas — un programa piloto de un año (de agosto de 2025 a julio de 2026) en La Ventana, Baja California Sur.
Este plan establece condiciones estrictas sobre quién puede entrar al agua, cuándo y cómo. Es el primer intento real de transformar los encuentros con orcas de algo caótico a algo controlado y consciente.
Aquí están las reglas más importantes:
🛥 Embarcaciones: Solo se permiten lanchas pequeñas de menos de 10 metros (≈ 32 pies). Cada operador puede usar una sola embarcación autorizada.
🚤 Límite diario: Solo 24 embarcaciones por día, divididas en 8 horarios (3 embarcaciones por turno, entre las 7:00 a.m. y las 6:00 p.m.).
🌊 Distancias:
Observación activa: mínimo 20 metros entre la lancha y las orcas.
Embarcaciones en espera: a 60–100 metros de distancia.
👥 Personas en el agua: Máximo 5 personas, incluyendo al guía.
⏱ Tiempo: Cada encuentro puede durar hasta 30 minutos, más 15 minutos para la aproximación y salida.
🚫 Cuándo no se permite nadar:
Si las orcas están cazando, descansando o alimentándose de presas grandes (>2 m) como delfines o ballenas.
Solo se permite cuando las orcas muestran un comportamiento tranquilo, social o cooperativo con presas pequeñas como peces, mobulas o tortugas.
📍 Área autorizada: Las actividades están restringidas a un polígono designado cerca de La Ventana, desde Playa Central hasta Ensenada de Muertos.
⚠️ Otras restricciones:
No se permiten drones, alimentación ni contacto físico.
Las embarcaciones no deben bloquear la trayectoria de las orcas.
Los capitanes deben permanecer a bordo; solo un guía, identificado con un marcador rojo, puede acompañar a los nadadores en el agua.
Estas medidas están diseñadas para proteger tanto a las orcas como a las personas, reducir el estrés en los animales y permitir a las autoridades recolectar datos para un manejo a largo plazo.
Una nota personal
Este es un año de prueba — un experimento para ver cómo los operadores responsables, como nosotros, pueden coexistir en armonía con estos depredadores marinos.
Seré honesta: algunas de las nuevas reglas son confusas y probablemente necesitarán ajustes. Pero por primera vez, existe estructura y responsabilidad.
Es un paso adelante — imperfecto, pero necesario. . , ..
. ,
.
. . , , ,
, . ., . .
.
. . .
. . .
. . ., .
, . .. . .
.
. ., .. . .
.
. . ,.
,
,
,
.
. ..
,
. . .
.
POR QUÉ ESTO IMPORTA — Y QUÉ ESPERAMOS QUE CAMBIE
Durante años, los encuentros con orcas en México ocurrieron en una especie de “viejo oeste” del turismo marino — sin reglas, sin límites, sin verdadera supervisión.
Cada operador hacía las cosas a su manera. Algunos eran respetuosos, mantenían su distancia y dejaban que las orcas marcaran el ritmo. Otros no.
Los motores las perseguían. Los grupos eran rodeados por embarcaciones. La gente se lanzaba al agua demasiado cerca, demasiado rápido. A veces se volvía caótico.
Nosotros siempre nos alejábamos de esas situaciones — no queríamos ser parte del problema.
Y aunque muchos tenían buenas intenciones, la verdad es que sin regulación, incluso la emoción puede convertirse en acoso.
Por eso esta nueva ley importa. Marca el primer esfuerzo real por manejar el comportamiento humano alrededor de las orcas, antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
No se trata de quitarle emoción a la experiencia — se trata de asegurarse de que esa emoción no ocurra a costa de las orcas.
Para nosotros en Freefall Academy, también se trata de responsabilidad.
Siempre hemos creído que los encuentros deben suceder en sus términos — con calma, en silencio, de manera natural.
El nuevo sistema de permisos finalmente reconoce y recompensa ese enfoque, estableciendo una base de respeto que el océano necesita con urgencia.
Aun así, esto es solo el comienzo.
El plan tiene validez por un año — una temporada piloto para recopilar datos y evaluar qué funciona y qué no. Muchas de las reglas actuales probablemente evolucionarán.
Algunas tienen mucho sentido; otras parecen poco prácticas cuando estás realmente en el agua.
Pero eso está bien. Los cambios en las políticas oceánicas rara vez llegan perfectos — surgen a partir de la prueba, la retroalimentación y la experiencia.
Lo que esperamos es que este nuevo marco se convierta en la semilla de algo más grande:
Un sistema permanente y bien diseñado que proteja a las orcas, apoye a los capitanes locales y ofrezca a los viajeros la oportunidad de vivir algo profundamente transformador — sin dañar lo que lo hace tan poderoso.
Porque al final del día, el objetivo no es solo hacer legal nadar con orcas.
Es hacerlo sostenible, ético y respetuoso — un modelo de cómo el turismo marino puede coexistir con la naturaleza salvaje, en lugar de ir en su contra. . . .
, .
. . . .
. . , .
. . . .
.
. .
. . . .
Guía gratuita — descarga instantánea
Ocean-Ready: Practical Guide for Marine Wildlife Encounters
Written by a marine biologist. Everything you need to know before getting in the water with wild animals — how to move, breathe, read animal behavior, and be a conscious traveler.
How to move without disturbing wildlife
Reading animal behavior — let them lead
Camera etiquette: eyes first, lens second
Conservation in motion: how to give back
Wildlife calendar for Baja California Sur
Sin spam. Solo historias del océano y consejos de apnea. Puedes darte de baja cuando quieras.
Qué significa esto para ti (y qué esperar en un Ocean Safari)
Unirte a uno de nuestros Ocean Safaris significa formar parte de algo histórico.
No solo te estás inscribiendo en otro tour de vida silvestre — estás ayudando a definir cómo la humanidad interactúa con una de las especies más inteligentes y poderosas del océano. .
Esto es lo que puedes esperar:
Encuentros verdaderos, no hay garantías Orcas are wild and constantly on the move. They travel with their food — following rays, whales, turtles, sharks… That means sightings are unpredictable. Some days, the ocean offers a breathtaking orca encounter. Other days, they’re hundreds of miles away. .
Ven por el Safari, no solo las Orcas Nuestros safaris son mucho más que una sola especie. Podrías nadar con grupos de delfines, ver mobulas saltar fuera del agua, deslizarte junto a tortugas o flotar entre decenas de calderones.
Cada día es diferente — una sorpresa creada por la naturaleza. Por eso recomendamos unirte durante varios días, para aumentar tus posibilidades de encontrarte con orcas y experimentar la verdadera diversidad de la vida marina de Baja. . .. y .
Mejor temporada para ver Orcas Las orcas pueden aparecer en cualquier mes del año, pero la primavera y el verano (abril a agosto) suelen ofrecer las mejores oportunidades. El mar está más calmado, el agua más clara y la comida es más abundante. . .
De diciembre a marzo: nos enfocamos en otras locaciones debido a las condiciones climáticas difíciles en La Ventana durante esos meses (generalmente con viento, agua verde y fría).
Grupos Intimos Un máximo de 5 personas en el agua — lo suficientemente pequeño como para escuchar tu propio latido y los suaves chasquidos del océano.
Guias Expertos Guiado por biologos marinoscon la certificación oficial mexicana de guía NOM-09. Leemos los estados de ánimo del océano y dejamos que los animales guíen el encuentro — nunca al revés.
Experiencia educativa Cada viaje incluye charlas educativas sobre biología, comportamiento, comunicación y conservación de los animales, porque entender lo que estás presenciando transforma por completo la experiencia.
No se trata de perseguir el mayor espectáculo del océano — se trata de estar presente para recibir lo que el mar quiera compartir ese día. Y cuando una orca aparece, cuando decide acercarse a ti a su propio ritmo y en su propio tiempo, entiendes por qué la paciencia es parte de la aventura.
El futuro de los encuentros con orcas: lo que viene
Esta nueva ley es un comienzo — no una meta final.
El 2025 es un año de prueba, un experimento para ver si los humanos podemos compartir el agua con las orcas de manera responsable. Está lejos de ser perfecto. Algunas reglas solo tienen sentido en el papel; otras necesitarán ajustes en la práctica. Pero así es como empieza el cambio — con pasos pequeños e imperfectos hacia algo mejor.
Nuestra esperanza es que este plan de manejo evolucione en un sistema a largo plazo que funcione para todos: las orcas, los capitanes y los viajeros que llegan desde todo el mundo para encontrarse con la vida marina de Baja con el corazón abierto.
Porque si logramos demostrar que los encuentros éticos funcionan — que la admiración y la protección pueden coexistir — podría cambiar el futuro del turismo marino en México y más allá.
En Freefall Academy, nos enorgullece ser parte de este movimiento. Cada safari que realizamos, cada charla que damos, cada encuentro respetuoso que compartimos, es una declaración de lo que el turismo oceánico puede ser cuando se hace con intención.
Y la verdad es que el océano recuerda cómo lo tratamos.
Cuanto más respetamos sus ritmos, más nos recompensa con momentos que nos dejan sin aliento.
Así que si alguna vez has soñado con encontrarte con orcas en libertad — no en un tanque, no en una pantalla, sino cara a cara, en sus propios términos — este es tu momento.
Únete a nosotros en Baja.
Aprende, bucea y sé testigo de un nuevo capítulo en la conservación oceánica que se desarrolla justo bajo las olas.
. ..
.
. . .
.
. .
. ..
. .
Mejor temporada: Abril a Agosto Donde: . Experiencia: Ocean Safari con Freefall Academy
La Ventana · Baja California Sur
Come for all of it.
Baja's ocean is endlessly alive — mobulas, dolphins, sea lions, and if you're super lucky orcas and other rare animals. Our experiences are about showing up with an open heart and letting the sea surprise you. No scripts. No guarantees. Just the wild.
Mobula Season 2025 Highlights: Unforgettable Encounters
The Sea of Cortez is a theater of marine life, and this mobula season was nothing short of spectacular. From breathtaking vortexes of rays to unexpected encounters with apex predators, the ocean rewarded patience, respect, and a sense of adventure.
This isn’t just a trip—it’s an Safari Marino. Some days, the sea gifts us thousands of mobulas, playful dolphins, and curious sea lions. Other days, we spend hours offshore, searching… waiting… But when the magic happens—it’s worth every second.
This Season’s Greatest Hits
The stars of the show: Mobulas
We witnessed their full repertoire:
Sunrise/Sunset leapers – entire schools jumping
Vortex feeders – hundreds spiraling like living tornadoes
Mating rituals – males chasing females in a beautiful courtship we call mating train
Yet the real show started when we slipped beneath the surface. Picture this: you’re finning through blue nothingness when suddenly the water darkens. A shadow rises from the depths – then another, and another – until you’re surrounded by a fever of mobulas. They are all around you, close enough to see the scars on their backs.
Mobula Ray jumping at sunset during a Mobula Expedition
Dolphin Dreams
Resident bottlenose dolphins greeted us almost daily—sometimes in small pods of 10, other times in hundreds. They bow-rode our boat, locked eyes with us underwater, and left us grinning every time. We also encountered playful pantropical spotted dolphins, spinner dolphins, common dolphins and risso’s dolphin!
Bottlenose dolphin on the surface
The Big Five & Beyond
This season, we checked off marine megafauna royalty:
Sperm whales (the largest toothed whales on Earth)
Whale sharks (the largest fish in the world)
Whale shark in baja Mexico with freefall academy during ocean safari
. (the largest dolphin in the world)
Orcas in a ocean safari in La Ventana during Mobula Season
Blue whales (the biggest animals to ever exist)
Mola molas (the heaviest bony fish in the world)
Plus, silky sharks, pilot whales (100+ strong!), olive ridley turtles mating mid-ocean, and much more!
Citizen Science
If you’ve been reading us, you know that we’re all about citizen science: on every trip we record data that we share the scientists to help better understand animals. This was our top contribution this season:
Tecpatl the Orca
We photographed a massive male orca—later, comparing the dorsal for ID’s, I found a match! E221 was first documented in 2006 near Mathemathitian Seamounts in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Since then, he’s been spotted in Costa Rica (2021, 2023, 2024)—and now, Baja (2025)! We shared this information with Marea, an NGO that names the Orcas of Baja as a community project. We suggested the name Tecpatl, which means obsidian knife in nahuatl, and we won! Nos E221 has a name, and thanks to photo ID we can write the story of Tecpatl and many other orcas to better understand their movements, the pod structure, their diet and much more!
Tecpatl the Orca
Stories worth telling
When the Orcas came to us
It was Day 6 of the expedition – the last water day. After yesterday’s disappointment (very crowded orca pod being harassed all day long, we left to be one less boat with them), we decided to start early at the sea lion colony, hoping for some quiet time before the tourist boats arrived. The morning light was golden as we slipped into the water, where we swam and freedove with sea lions.
I was taking photos of Rae (a participant on the expedition) when I heard the captain screaming: “ORCAS! ORCAS!”. First I thought that he was seeing them far away, then I saw the unmistakable dorsal find right next to the boat! My brain short-circuited – they were coming straight for us. We put our heads in the water and saw them gliding past us about 5m away from us!!
What happened next was pure magic.
For three hours, we had the pod all to ourselves (only after an hour 2 then 3 boats showed up). As if rewarding our patience from yesterday, we’re getting close underwater and doing eye contact. After several jumps, we decided to watch them from the boat again and suddenly they started bow riding! Guests were crying, laughing… After a few minutes bow riding, they went under and disappeared for the day, it was like they said goodbye! That is why is why we endure the long days. Check out some photos here.
The Dolphin Superpod That Stole Our Hearts
It started as one of those “let’s just check this last spot” moments. We’d already had a spectacular morning with mobulas and sea lions, but the afternoon stretched ahead with no reports of activity. The crew decided to go northeast.
Forty minutes later, we were in the middle of nowhere – just endless blue and our own wake. Then Pablo, our eagle-eyed captain, suddenly cut the engine. He saw something.
At first it looked like whitecaps on the horizon. Then the water began to boil.
As we crept closer, the scale became clear – at least 1,500 pantropical spotted dolphins, spread across miles of ocean. Not just traveling, but celebrating. Groups of 20-30 would break off to ride our bow, spinning mid-air before crashing back down.
When we slipped into the water, the real show began.
Dolphins came from every direction – some so close I could hear their high-pitched squeals reverberating through my body. A curious subgroup of about 30 formed a loose circle around us, tilting their heads to maintain eye contact as they passed. Pure magic, watch an instagram reel of the experience here.
That’s the thing about the Sea of Cortez – you never know what you’re going to find, and when you find it it’s mind blowing!
Expedition vs. Day Trip: What’s Best for You?
Day Trips (about 6h): Perfect for everyone — if you are coming to La Paz and only have a day or two, this is for you! You’ll have an awesome experience with wildlife encounters.
Expeditions (8-10h): More offshore time = more wildlife encounters. If you want to see more variety of animals, get a better shot, have a better chance to find more exotic animals… this is for you. More time in the water and more days, our expeditions are 5-7 days.
Ready for Next Season?
Spaces for next season are limited. Will you join us for the adventure?
Did you know that the largest migration of any ray in the World occurs every year in Baja, Mexico? It is one of our favorite events of the year. Who are they? The correct common name is Munk’s Pigmy Devil Ray (Mobula munkiana). In this blog post we will talk about its biology, conservation and some fun facts of Mobula Rays!
I always like to start with the basics, what are Mobulas? (if this is too nerdy for you, skip this paragraph, sorry I can’t help it, I’m a marine biologist). They are vertebrate animals that belong to the class Chondrichthyes, which are fishes whose skeleton is made out of cartilage, unlike humans’ which is made out of bone. This group includes sharks, rays and chimaeras. The rays, also called Batoidea, differentiates from sharks and rays because they have particular characteristics that are unique to them, such as having a flat body and gills positioned under the pectoral fins. There are 10 species of Mobulas (genus Mobula), here we will explore the smallest of all, Mobula munkiana.
What are they doing in Baja anyways?
This is a question that local scientists have been trying to answer. Mobula Conservation has found some interesting information. We know that they aggregate in hundreds or thousands and migrate to the Sea of Cortez during the spring months. We have also seen them do courtship behavior and lots of jumping in the air. But it wasn’t until 2021 when a very complete study was published where they suggest that they are coming here to mate and give birth! This is huge!
Apparently the mating and pupping season begins in April, when the water is warmer. This allows the neonates and juveniles to use shallow bays where there is food available and protection from open ocean predators. These bays are nursery areas, where the young Mobulas will spend their first months of life until they are big and strong enough to start aggregating and joining the Mobula migration.
Why do Mobula Rays jump?
They can jump up to 3 m in the air! Some of the hypothesis scientists have made include: mating behavior, to remove parasites, as a form of communication and for fun. I personally believe that they really want to fly and won’t give up.
Hundreds can jump at the same time, which is super fun to watch. It sounds like popping popcorn, quite the spectacle! They not only jump but do backflips, 360s, flips, flops, turns… that’s why people call them the oceans’ aerialists.
What do Mobulas feed on?
Mobulas are filter feeders, so don’t worry they won’t try to eat you! They feed on tiny animals floating on the water column called zooplankton. In Mexico they have been found to feed mostly on planktonic crustaceans like Euphausiids and Copepods.
Mobula Mating behavior
Mobulas have a complex mate choice system. Their courtship can last several days where females are chased by different males. The male winner bites the pectoral fin of the female to be able to copulate.
Main threats for Mobulas, and Conservation efforts
Mobulas are threatened by many different factors. They are particularly vulnerable because they have only one pup per litter possibly every 3-5 years. They start reproducing probably at around 5-6 years of age and have a lifespan of around 20 years. So do the math, they are not having a lot of offspring in their lifetime. Add to the equation the fact that they migrate in up to thousands of individuals and they become particularly vulnerable to overexploitation, specifically fishing and bycatch. They are often found as bycatch in tropical tuna purse seines and longlines (the most common ways to fish tuna), so next time you eat sushi think twice! Climate change, pollution, illegal fishing and bad tourism practices are also some of the threats that Mobulas go through.
However it is not all bad! Luckily in Mexico they have been protected since 2004 against capture (fishing), trade and consumption. This is regulated by the law NOM-029-PESCA-2004. To conserve an animal you need to know them first. Mobula Conservation has a citizen science program, where you can help get data about them during our tours!
See them for yourself!
Mobulas are fascinating, so why not enjoy watching them in their natural environment? We run daily trips from Thursday to Sunday in May and June. Come join us and watch these pancakes shoot up to the sky, swim with them, watch them engage in mating behaviors and maybe even predation.
We have small groups of usually 4 but up to 6 people per day. Our guides are trained to show you the best way you can interact with them to have a respectful behavior towards them which will make them stay with us longer! If you want to swim with these incredible creatures, let us know!
This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to provide a more personalized experience and to track your whereabouts around our website in compliance with the European General Data Protection Regulation. If you decide to to opt-out of any future tracking, a cookie will be setup in your browser to remember this choice for one year.
Para brindar las mejores experiencias, utilizamos tecnologías como cookies para almacenar y/o acceder a la información del dispositivo. El consentimiento para estas tecnologías nos permitirá procesar datos como el comportamiento de navegación o identificaciones únicas en este sitio. No dar su consentimiento o retirarlo puede afectar negativamente a ciertas características y funciones.
Funcional
Siempre Activo
El almacenamiento o acceso técnico sea estrictamente necesario con el fin legítimo de posibilitar la utilización de un determinado servicio expresamente solicitado por el abonado o usuario, o con la única finalidad de efectuar la transmisión de una comunicación a través de una red de comunicaciones electrónicas.
Preferencias
El almacenamiento o acceso técnico es necesario con la finalidad legítima de almacenar preferencias no solicitadas por el suscriptor o usuario.
Estadísticas
El almacenamiento o acceso técnico que se utilice exclusivamente con fines estadísticos.El almacenamiento o acceso técnico que se utilice exclusivamente con fines estadísticos anónimos. Sin una citación, el cumplimiento voluntario por parte de su proveedor de servicios de Internet o registros adicionales de un tercero, la información almacenada o recuperada solo con este propósito generalmente no se puede usar para identificarlo.
Marketing
El almacenamiento técnico o el acceso son necesarios para crear perfiles de usuario para enviar publicidad o rastrear al usuario en un sitio web o en varios sitios web con fines de marketing similares.
. . , , ,
, . ., . .
.
. . ., .
, . .. . .
.
. . ,.
,
Encuentros verdaderos, no hay garantías
Mejor temporada para ver Orcas
Grupos Intimos
Guias Expertos
Experiencia educativa
Mejor temporada: Abril a Agosto
Donde: .
Experiencia: Ocean Safari con Freefall Academy
Español de México 
English