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This
is the largest peninsula of the Atlantic Coast, and is famous for
its concentration of marine fauna. It is an island linked to the continent
by a narrow strip of land called Carlos Ameghino Isthmus, separating
the San Jose and the Nuevo gulfs. more...
Isla
de los Pájaros Natural Reserve
A few kilometers after the isthmus is one of the three first fauna
reserves of the continent. Created in 1967 to protect one of the few
ecosystems that allows the grouping and reproduction of a wide variety
of marine birds (sea gulls, cormorants, etc). Public access
is not allowed. The species may be watched from the isthmus. We can
find group of guanacos, walruses, sea elephants and seals, as well
as whales.
 Punta
Loma Fauna Reserve
From Puerto Madryn and along a 17km winding road that borders the
sea, you arrive at this reserve, with access to a belvedere. There
is a small rise of 15 m where a superb view of the one-hair sea lions'
reserve can be admired all year round.
Puerto
Pirámide
 A
small pier on the beach of the Golfo Nuevo is the departure point
for the boats authorized to offer rides for the daily whale watching
tours. Navigation is only allowed in the Golfo Nuevo.
The
whales appear on the coasts of the Península Valdes, and within the
Nuevo and San Jose gulfs, from June to mid-December. These
are the Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena Australis), belonging to
the suborder of the cetaceans called Mysticetus and which have chills
instead of teeth. Right whales come to Peninsula Valdes to mate, give
birth and breed the young in calm waters.
The
area was declared a Natural Monument in 1984 to protect this endangered
species. Births take place between August and October, giving birth
to only one whale calf every three years. The average population is
of 3,000 animals.
Puerto
Piramide Fauna Reserve
4 km from Puerto Pirámide is a fauna reserve for one-hair sea lions.
Punta
Delgada
Further to the east, where a lighthouse indicating the course to the
sailors stands. There is a sea lion reserve on the beach.
Caleta
Valdés and Punta Norte
 To
the north, 77 km further on the northwest extreme of Peninsula Valdes,
are the only continental sea elephant reserves. This is an endangered
species whose colony stays here all year round. They differ from the
sea lions in the way they move: while the sea lions walk on their
four extremities, the sea elephants must creep to move on the ground.
They are called “elephants” due to the characteristic trunk that the
males have and to their huge corpulent body. Adult males may be over
6m long with an estimated weight of 4,000 kg, while the females do
not surpass the 3 m of length and 700 kg weight. By August-September,
the birth of babies take place and it is possible to watch them until
March-April.
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