Basic Geology of Peninsula Valdes
Characteristic to the geography of the Valdes Peninsula are high cliffs and extensive rock reefs that harbor cobblestone, gravel, and sandy beaches. Numerous small bays and islands help to complete the picture of this coastline. Formed from sedimentary rock, over the slow geological process that took millions of years, accumulating and consolidating stratus layers into
Read MoreIsthmus Ameguino Museum of Peninsula Valdes
Peninsula Valdes Tides
Tides of the Valdes Peninsula are constantly coming and going. As is normal with the tidal flux almost everywhere, there will be two high tides and two low tides in the 24 hours that make up a day. The times and levels of the tides vary greatly throughout the peninsula. The flow of the incoming
Read MoreThe power of the Whale Tail
The tail or caudal fin of the southern right whale possesses one of the most powerful natural forces of the animal kingdom. He shows this in every jump he takes, by taking 3/4 of his body out of the water of more than 40 tons. The caudal fin is formed by a fibrous tissue that
Read MoreBurrowing Parrot
They are usually seen on Peninsula Valdes during the spring and summer months. It mates for life and nests in cliffs. They dig a deep burrow in which 2 to 5 eggs are laid. The eggs hatch in late December. The Burrowing Parrot is very colorful and has seven colors in its plumage. On Peninsula
Read MoreTurkey vulture
The turkey vulture is a bird of the vulture family, which can be found all across the Americas. In the different countries of the continent, it has different names, such as buzzard, aura, or just vulture. In Península Valdés, it is one of the largest of the vultures, with a red head, blackish plumage, more
Read MoreBirds Island Reserve from its beginnings
Black Chested Buzzard Eagle
Variable Hawk
Also known as “Ñanco”, it can be seen throughout the Valdes Peninsula. The males measure up to 48 cm and the female is slightly larger, reaching 52 cm. The plumage is grey on the back, with a white underside in adults. Its’ most distinctive feature is a black stripe down the tail. Juveniles keep their
Read MoreWhales photographers in Puerto Piramides
San Pablo de Valdes Life Reserve
Brief history of Puerto Madryn, to this day
Roger Payne and the whales
Dwarf Armadillo
The Dwarf Armadillo (Zaedyus pichiy), from the same family as the Mulita and Hairy Armadillo (Xenarthra), spends most of its time with its nose to the ground searching for food. It has short hair and seven articulated bands to its protective shell that are mostly grey with slightly curved, beige edges. It has much less hair on
Read MoreSouthern Dwarf Cavy
The cause of the tides
The movement of ocean tides is generated by the gravitational attraction between the earth, the sun, and the moon. Due to the rotation of the Earth, water tends to escape its gravitational pull by the centrifugal force and its own inertia. This is what happen in Peninsula Valdes. On the other hand, the gravitational attraction
Read MoreGreat Egret
This long-legged Patagonian Resident is also seen regularly in the Valdes Peninsula. Teetering on the edge of extinction in the early 1900s due to women’s fashion, this elegant bird has survived and although still somewhat scarce, each year can be observed in greater numbers. They were killed for the male’s long dorsal feathers used in
Read MoreA little bit of history about Man and the Whale:
A historical record of the colonization of Patagonia
Puerto Piramides, a town with history
More than 100 years ago the number of people living in Puerto Piramides was much larger than its current population. In a few sentences, I will try to make a simple recapitulation of this century of history. During the early 1.900s, salt mining and extraction brought a large labor force to the peninsula, an activity
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