Humpback Whales Spotted Off The West Coast Of Mexico

Humpback whales have made their way back to the Oaxacan coasts in Mexico as tourists and locals marveled at their presence.

Boats transported tourists to have a glimpse at the groups of whales who would appear briefly on the surface of the ocean.

Touristic boat operator Carlos Ponce told Reuters on Saturday (December 18) that it is possible to see them within a nautical mile from the shore.

"The sea was calm for many months without any human presence (due to COVID-19 quarantine) had an effect on this. That gave them (the whales) the security to come back to the shore", added Ponce, who owns a touristic boat called 'Tequila'.

Following government indications, these boats must keep a distance of between 25 to 37 miles with the whales.

Biologist and researcher at Universidad del Mar who studies humpback whales, Francisco Villegas, said that only male whales emit the traditional songs of these animals.

"They sing songs that are just like human songs that have verses that repeat continuously," said Villegas. "(Researchers) have discovered that each season a new verse is added to that song."

These animals migrate from North America towards Central America during December, reaching as far as Panama on the Pacific Ocean.