To enhance your stay, or help make your decision of when to go, please find a calendar of regular animal behavior patterns below. This by no means guarantees you will see or get to interact with some of these magnificent creatures, but traveling to these places at right time of year will dramatically increase your chances!
JANUARY
| Baja, Mexico
| Fin, Minke, Bryde's, Orca, Pilot, Humpback and Blue Whales.
| | Green and Loggerhead turtles hatchling season begins at Ningaloo Reef.
| Saba:
| Humpback whale migration.
| | Hammerhead Sharks congregate at Rangiroa.
| | Bull sharks. Olive Ridley and Leatherback turtles.
| | Bull sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Protea Banks. Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks.
| | Manta Rays.
| Canary Islands:
| Angel Sharks.
| | Eagle Rays.
| | Humpback Whales, Wild dolphins.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manatees.
|
FEBRUARY
| | Whale Sharks.
| Baja, Mexico
| Fin, Minke, Bryde's, Orca, Pilot, Humpback and Blue Whales.
| | Hammerhead sharks congregate at Rangiroa.
| | Humpback whales begin their mating and calving rituals when thousands of whales migrate to the Mouchoir and Silver Banks.
| Saba:
| Humpback whale migration.
| | Leatherhead and loggerhead turtles lay eggs on the beaches of KwaZulu Natal. Protea Banks. Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks.
| | Bull sharks. Olive Ridley and Leatherback turtles.
| | Bull Sharks.
| Canary Islands: | Angel Sharks.
| | Eagle Rays
| | Humpback Whales, Wild dolphins.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manatees.
|
MARCH
| | Whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef.
| Layang, Layang, Malaysia: | Hammerhead sharks schooling.
| Baja, Mexico:
| Fin, Minke, Bryde's, Orca, Pilot, Humpback and Blue Whales.
| Saba:
| Humpback Whale migration.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Humpback whales begin their mating and calving rituals when thousands of whales migrate to the Mouchoir and Silver Banks.
| | Bull sharks. Olive Ridley and Leatherback turtles.
| | Bull Sharks.
| | Leatherhead and loggerhead turtles lay eggs on the beaches of KwaZulu Natal. Protea Banks. Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks.
| Canary Islands:
| Angel Sharks.
| | Eagle Rays.
| | Humpback Whales, Wild dolphins.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manatees.
|
APRIL
| | Whale Sharks. Best time is 3 days before to 3 days after a full moon when the Cubera Snappers spawn. Also the mating season for turtles.
| | Hammerhead sharks. Bull Sharks.
| Baja, Mexico:
| Whale season. Fin, Minke, Bryde's, Orca, Pilot, Humpback and Blue Whales.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Whale Sharks at Ningaloo Reef, South Australia: Great White Sharks.
| | Protea Banks: Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks . Cape Region: Great White Sharks.
| Canary Islands:
| Angel Sharks.
| | Eagle Rays.
| | Humpback Whales, Wild dolphins.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manta Rays.
|
MAY
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Manta Rays and Hammerheads.
| | Whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef.
| | Whale Sharks. Best time is 3 days before to 3 days after a full moon when the Cubera Snappers spawn. Also the mating season for turtles.
| | Hammerhead sharks. Bull Sharks.
| | Protea Banks: Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks . Cape Region: Great White Sharks.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Wild dolphins.
| Azores:
| Wild dolphins.
| | Wild dolphins around the island of Bimini.
|
JUNE
| | The annual sardine run migration off Kwaulu, Natal. Protea Banks. Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks. Cape Region: Great White Sharks.
| | Minke Whales off Queensland. Humpback whales and Whale Sharks off Ningaloo Reef, South Australia: Great White Sharks.
| Sea of Cortez:
| Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks and Whale Sharks.
| | Nurse Shark breeding.
| | Whale Sharks. Best time is 3 days before to 3 days after a full moon when the Cubera Snappers spawn. Also the mating season for turtles.
| | Hammerhead Sharks. Bull Sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Manta Rays and Hammerheads.
| | Manta Rays. | | Wild dolphins.
| Azores:
| Wild dolphins.
| | Wild dolphins around the island of Bimini.
|
JULY
| Tonga:
| Humpback Whales.
| | Hammerhead sharks, Bull sharks and Green, Leatherback and Hawksbill Turtles.
| | Southern Right Whales. Ragged Tooth sharks breeding at Aliwal Shoal. Cape Region: Great White Sharks .
| | Queensland - Minke Whales and Humpback whales. South Coast: - Southern Right Whales. Ningaloo Reef: Humpback Whales. South Australia: Great White Sharks.
| | Manta Rays and Hammerheads.
| | Whale Sharks.
| Sea of Cortez:
| Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks and Whale Sharks.
| | Hammerheads at their most active.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Wild dolphins.
| Azores:
| Wild dolphins.
| | Wild dolphins around the island of Bimini.
|
AUGUST
| Sipadan:
| Highest concentration of Turtles.
| | Mantas and Whale Sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Queensland - Minke Whales and Humpback whales. South Coast: - Southern Right Whales. Ningaloo Reef: Humpback Whales. South Australia: Great White Sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| Sea of Cortez:
| Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks and Whale Sharks.
| Tonga:
| Humpback Whales.
| | Hammerhead sharks, Bull sharks and Green, Leatherback and Hawksbill Turtles.
| | Southern Right Whales. Ragged Tooth sharks breeding at Aliwal Shoal. Cape Region: Great White Sharks .
| | Hammerheads at their most active.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Wild dolphins.
| Azores:
| Wild dolphins.
| | Wild dolphins around the island of Bimini.
|
SEPTEMBER
| | Coral spawning.
| | Coral spawning.
| Cook Islands:
| Whale season.
| | Large numbers of Manta Rays in Rangiroa.
| | Whale Sharks.
| Sipadan:
| Green Turtles hatching.
| Tonga:
| Humpback Whales.
| | Hammerhead sharks, Bull sharks and Green, Leatherback and Hawksbill Turtles.
| | Southern Right Whales. Ragged Tooth sharks breeding at Aliwal Shoal. Cape Region: Great White Sharks.
| | Queensland - Minke Whales and Humpback whales. South Coast: - Southern Right Whales. Ningaloo Reef: Humpback Whales. South Australia: Great White Sharks.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Wild dolphins.
| Azores:
| Wild dolphins.
| | Wild dolphins around the island Bimini.
| | Whale Sharks.
|
OCTOBER
| Seychelles:
| Whale Sharks.
| | Queensland - Minke Whales and Humpback whales. South Coast: - Southern Right Whales. Ningaloo Reef: Humpback Whales. South Australia: Great White Sharks.
| Canary Islands:
| Hammerhead Sharks.
| Isla Guadalupe, Mexico:
| Great White Sharks.
| Tonga:
| Humpback Whales.
| | Southern Right Whales. Ragged Tooth sharks breeding at Aliwal Shoal. Cape Region: Great White Sharks.
| Cook Islands:
| Whale season.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Wild dolphins.
| Farallon Islands:
| Great White Sharks.
| | Whale sharks.
|
NOVEMBER
| | Olive Ridley and Leatherback Turtles. Bull sharks.
| | Bull sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Green and Leatherback turtles nesting.
| | Protea Banks: Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks . Cape Region: Great White Sharks.
| Norway:
| Orcas.
| | Grey reef sharks mating.
| Canary Islands:
| Hammerhead sharks.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manatees.
| | Wild dolphins.
| Farallon Islands:
| Great White Sharks.
| Isla Guadalupe, Mexico:
| Great White Sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
|
DECEMBER
| | Pacific Green Turtles gather to mate and lay eggs.
| | Humpback Whales, Wild dolphins.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Groupers Spawning.
| | Eagle Rays.
| Canary Islands:
| Angel Sharks.
| | Olive Ridley and Leatherback Turtles. Bull sharks.
| | Whale Sharks.
| | Protea Banks: Hammerhead, Zambezi, Bull and Tiger Sharks . Cape Region: Great White Sharks.
| | Manta Rays.
| | Manatees.
| Isla Guadalupe, Mexico:
| Great White Sharks.
| | Whale sharks.
|
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