A decomposed whale was discovered entangled in fishing nets along the coast between San Juan de la Costa and San Evaristo, north of La Paz, during a routine coastal patrol by FONMAR, Mexico’s marine resources protection agency.
The carcass was found near the Punta Coyote fishing camp, according to Colectivo Pericú. FONMAR reported the discovery to PROFEPA (Mexico’s federal environmental enforcement agency), the Whale Museum in La Paz, and marine wildlife rescue authorities. Officials are investigating the cause of death and evaluating whether the skeleton can be preserved for educational use.
The species of whale has not been confirmed. The advanced state of decomposition may complicate identification, though the Sea of Cortez coastline between San Juan de la Costa and San Evaristo is frequented by humpback whales, fin whales, and blue whales during migration season. San Evaristo, a remote fishing village about 60 miles north of La Paz by dirt road, sits along one of the most biologically rich stretches of the gulf.
Whale entanglement in fishing gear is a persistent problem in Baja California Sur, where commercial and artisanal fishing operations overlap with critical marine mammal habitat. Ghost nets, abandoned or lost gear that continues to drift and trap animals, pose a particular threat. Marine conservation groups working in La Paz have documented entanglement risks to whales, sea turtles, dolphins, and sea lions across the region.
The Whale Museum (Museo de la Ballena) in downtown La Paz, located on the Malecón near the Jardín Velasco, already houses whale skeletons and educational exhibits on marine mammals of the Gulf of California. If the skeleton is recovered and preserved, it would join those displays. The museum is free to visit and draws both local school groups and tourists year-round.
Punta Coyote and the surrounding coastline are popular with kayakers, anglers, and off-road travelers heading to San Evaristo. Anyone who encounters dead or distressed marine animals along the coast can report sightings to PROFEPA’s hotline at 800-PROFEPA (800-776-3372).