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Summary Mass migration of humpback whales delights animal lovers in Colombia.
The mass migration is a unique chance for visitors to see the giant humpbacks, who reproduce and raise their young calves each year in the Malaga Natural Reserve, northwest of the Colombian city of Buenaventura in the Pacific Ocean.Some 100 whales in total will pass through these warm waters near Tumaco en route to the site.At this point in time we have six whales here: six adults and their babies. They are diving for four to five minutes and are a lot of time on the surface so the best thing to do is to stay here quietly to observe them and take photos without disturbing the animals, Colombian Humpback Foundation Director, Lilian Flores, said.The Malaga Reserve was created in August 2010 to protect the whales.It is recognised by wildlife conservationists as one of the worlds most important humpback breeding sites.Local port authorities say all proper safety measures are taken in order to ensure the safety of the whales.We know that the humpback whales always visit the Colombian Pacific Ocean and we are conducting all activities here safely because we want to promote the area in a way that all the people who come here know that everything is being done safely, Tumaco Port Captain, Andres Zambrano, said.This is almost the end of a long journey of around 5,000 miles for the whales.After four months rest, when their newborn calves are old enough, they will start their return journey.
