PUERTO VALLARTA DOLPHIN TOUR

Wildlife Connection offers you the opportunity to visit these fabulous animals in their natural environment and to participate in a research project that helps us understand and protect our dolphins here in Puerto Vallarta. Come with us and interact with a Bottlenose pod. Our guides are professional biologists who will share with you their knowledge, making this excursion a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Remember that these dolphins are not confined and this is the NATURAL WAY to observe and enjoy them.

Do not contribute to capturing more dolphins! Visit them in their own environment because FREE DOLPHINS ARE HAPPY DOLPHINS!!!.

DOLPHINS IN THE WILD

The tour goes to visit a resident bottlenose dolphin group and sometimes we find spotted dolphins. There is a hydrophone on board so you have a nice chance to hear the dolphins communication. Depending on the dolphin’s type group, activity and of course their mood we have good chances to swim with them specially if there are juveniles around (they are very curios), but we can’t guarantee the swimming as they are wild animals so it depends on them not on us. Only during Dec-Mar we can see Humpback whales, spinner dolphins, rough toothed dolphins, giant mantas and marine turtles, and even with luck Orcas or False Orcas. Our guides are specialists in cetaceans, Biologists with Masters Degree in Marine Ecology, Science Journalist and Professional Wildlife Photographer (National Geographic magazine and Animal Planet). We have some research programs with whales and dolphins, and during the tour we will share with you this information and you will have the opportunity to participate on our research. Your participation on our tour it’s what makes our research possible, and our research and experience helps us to GUARANTEE 100% that we can find the animals if not your money back.

SCHEDULE

• 09:00 Appontiment OPEQUIMAR (Vallarta). Located across the street from Westin Resort & Spa Hotel in Marina Vallarta.
• Light Continental breakfast is served while you receive an educational explanation to introduce you to the world of dolphins as well as information about the different species of dolphins in the bay and their habitat.
• 09:30 Departure from OPEQUIMAR. Dolphins are searched inside the bay, the time to find them varies. Once they are found there are possibilities that the clients can swim with the dolphins but there is no GUARANTEE, it always depends on the dolphins.
• 12:30 Arrival to Puerto Vallarta.

SMALL GROUPS: We use a small boats because is the best way to get close to the animals with low impact. Our boats are 26ft and 27 ft shaded fast boats, with 12 and 14 (depends the number of clients the boat we use). So it’s a private and personalized tour.

DOLPHIN + TURTLE COMBO D

DOLPHIN RESEARCH PROJECT

Capturing of dolphins began in the 1940′s with the purpose of using them as attractions in aquariums. The most common species being captured is the Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Much research has been done with the animals in captivity including behavior, medicine, communication, physiology, anatomy, reproduction and intelligence. Despite the fact that this information is truly invaluable, there are many aspects of dolphin life that can be studied only on animals in their natural habitat.

In 1998 Wildlife Connection began a research program with the Bottlenose Dolphins in Banderas Bay. Part of the project focuses on the indispensable individual identification of the dolphins by taking photos of dorsal fins, which due to their shape and unique marks can be used as an individuals fingerprint. One of our first achievements was a finding that our study group is a resident group that lives exclusively inside Banderas Bay. More detailed study is being carried out now to determine which areas are important for this group in particular. With all this information, we hope to promote the species protection in this area.

For more information open the research section or please contact us.

ADOPT A DOLPHIN!

We invite you to participate in the study and conservation of dolphins. Wildlife Connection has the first real Adopt-A-Dolphin Program in Puerto Vallarta, called RADAR. Ask us for information and adopt your own dolphin!