Dolphin and Whale Season in Costa Rica

Dolphins and whales migrate heavily through Costa Rica’s southern pacific from July to October. It is the best time of year for whale watching and spotting these magnificent creatures as they make the epic journey across the ocean waters. All along the coasts of the pacific waters there are many special spots for whale watching. The Dominical is one of the favorite spots for whale watching as is deep in the Osa Peninsula around the Golfo Dulce. The magnificent Humpback Whales are easy to spot along the waters and known for their enchanting sounds and songs.

Costa Rica is known to have the most biologically diverse marine wildlife in the world, and the Osa Peninsula has been named the most biologically intense place on the planet. The humpback whales have one of the most incredible migration patterns of any creature on the planet. They travel across the northern and southern hemispheres. Travelling from the Antarctic to Costa Rica, a journey of 5000 miles twice a year, makes them the furthest migrating species in the world.

A large part of the Gulfo Dulce is where whales come to give birth, rest and nurse their young for a week before continuing on with their migration through the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. The Humpback Whales are among the many endangered species on the planet. Recently that population has grown to approximately 65,000 to 75,000. While still endangered the population is starting to recover. They are also the largest living mammal on the planet. The area is also known for being a significant migration spot for the Bottlenose Dolphins, Spotted Dolphins, Spinner Dolphins and occasionally False Killer Whales.

The whales choose Costa Rica as their ideal location because the shallow warm currents that lie above low oxygen and cold currents making the warm water swell up to create the ideal ecosystem for this creature with an abundance of food sources. There are currently strong efforts underway to make the Golfo Dulce a marine protected area to safeguard this breeding ground. It’s critical to the survival of these species facing huge threats to their populations as a result of environmental degradation of the world’s oceans and climate change. If you get a chance to watch these whales in their habitat, it is an incredible opportunity and a awe-inspiring magical experience.