Costa Rica Whales

Description:

Oceanic Society in collaboration with Cascadia Research has conducted a long-term research effort on humpback whales and other marine mammals off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Humpback whales make seasonal migrations between high-latitude feeding areas and low latitude wintering areas where the mate and give birth to calves. In the North Pacific, they were thought to use

Breaching humpback off Drakes Bay—Annie Douglas©

three primary wintering areas: the waters off Mexico, Hawaii and Japan. Our research from the 1990’s indicates that humpbacks were also using Costa Rica as a wintering ground.

Volunteers are needed to help researchers collect information on habitat use and preference, affiliation patterns, and whether the same or different animals migrate to Costa Rican waters.

Headquartered in the remote Osa Peninsula at a comfortable seaside lodge with double occupancy accommodations, daily surveys in private, sea worthy boats are conducted to count whales, plot movements, identify individual fluke markings and record whale sounds using a hydrophone.

Humpback ID fluke off Drakes Bay—Annie Douglas©

Over the years we have identified a variety of other whales and dolphins utilizing these warm waters and data from this project may justify the creation of a marine sanctuary. Some free time for birdwatching and a guided half-day tour of nearby Corcovado National Park.

Itinerary:

Day 1:
San Jose, Costa Rica.

Day 2 thru 7:
Osa Peninsula, research activities.

Day 8:
Return to San Jose.

Optional Extensions: