Valdés Peninsula: life at the very edge of the ocean

Interview with David Beaune, expedition leader

Lying on the very edge of Argentina, the Valdés Peninsula is a must on any trip to Patagonia, with its contrasting arid steppe and ocean. As the main breeding ground for the southern right whale, this area is home to numerous species, transforming these shores into a living theatre. David Beaune, biologist, ecologist and expedition leader, accompanies explorers in this encounter which is at the same time both scientific and deeply emotional.

What makes the Valdés Peninsula so special?

What is striking about Valdés is the density of the marine life that converges on these shores. We are at a meeting place, a place of birth. Southern right whales come here to calve in waters that are warmer and better protected than those in the rest of the Southern Ocean. Around them, colonies of sea lions and elephant seals fan out while the penguins take over the coastline.

In reality, Valdés is not just a site for observation: it is a fragment of the ocean on display. What we see from the land is just the tip of an immensely larger world.

• Area: 3,600 km²
• A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999
• 181 species of birds, including the Magellanic penguin, Darwin’s rhea and neotropic cormorant
• 108 terrestrial species, including the Argentine grey fox, the southern hairy armadillo and the mara
• 73 marine and coastal species, including orcas, Commerson’s dolphins, elephant seals and fur seals

How do marine and terrestrial species co-exist?

It’s an equilibrium on the edge, almost a juxtaposition. On one side, the land, rough and dry, inhabited by guanacos, maras and foxes. On the other side, the ocean — abundant and generous. But what we see in Valdés is, above all, the sea coming ashore.

The animals you encounter on the beaches – sea lions, elephant seals, penguins – belong first and foremost to the marine world. They return only occasionally from the ocean, to reproduce. The peninsula thus becomes a threshold, a crossing point between two ecological realities.

Guanaco. Valdès Peninsula

Southern right whale calves are born here every year. Why here?

Like many large whales, the southern right whale makes a very clear distinction between its feeding grounds and its breeding grounds. These whales feed on the high seas, then come here to give birth. At Valdés, they find warmer, relatively calm waters and shallower depths, which make it easier to protect the young. In these sheltered waters, mothers are better able to look after their newborns.

Southern right whales during the mating season

What do we know today about their maternal behaviour?

The mother-calf bond is remarkably intense. The whale calf depends entirely on its mother, who feeds it with extremely rich, very fatty milk, promoting rapid growth. For several months, they are constantly together, with a very strong bond. The youngster learns to breathe, to move and to follow. Their relationship is exclusive and extremely close.

The orcas of Valdés deliberately strand themselves. What do we know about this?

This is one of the most striking examples of animal intelligence. This hunting technique, where orcas swim right up to the beach to attack their prey before returning to the water, is extremely risky. Stranding is not instinctive and has been passed down from generation to generation. Mothers play a central role in this transmission process. They show, repeat and support. The youngsters observe, have a go and refine their technique.

We are witnessing a veritable hunting culture, specific to certain orca populations. These scenes are fascinating: they bear witness to transmitted knowledge, a living memory.

Orcas on the Valdés Peninsula

How do sea lions live in Valdés?

With thousands of individuals, the sea lion colonies in Valdés are based on a fragile equilibrium: while the availability of resources and suitable breeding sites are conducive to their development, the presence of predators, particularly orcas, is a constant threat.

The breeding season is particularly intense. The males defend territories, form harems and exhaust themselves trying to maintain their position. During this time, the females alternate between the sea where they feed and the land where they nurse their young. Their whole lives are punctuated by this to-and-fro.

Sea lions on the beach of the Valdés Peninsula

How do they deal with the threat from the orcas?

The threat structures their behaviour. They often head out to sea in groups, as a strategy to dilute the risk. The youngsters practice in calmer waters before heading out to take on the ocean. There is a form of collective learning, and also an element of instinct. Every move, every second counts. In these environments, survival means knowing how to read the danger.

Young sea lion

Does the more discreet terrestrial fauna play any part in this equilibrium?

Yes of course it does. But I think we should accept not reducing everything to a function. For a long time, we have tried to justify each species by its ecological usefulness. But there’s something else. A simpler, more essential dimension: beauty.

We learn to observe a guanaco, an armadillo or a rhea not just to understand their role in the system, but because they have the great privilege of existing, inhabiting the landscape and triggering emotion. As with a work of art, there is an irreducible element of wonder.

Southern armadillo on the Valdès Peninsula

How do birds fit into this environment?

The Magellanic penguins, in particular, are a highly visible presence in the area. They dig burrows, settle in their thousands and literally transform the landscape. They also play a part in the exchanges between land and sea, particularly through their organic contributions (guano). And above all this, they are the incarnation of a permanent vitality. In Valdés, life never really stops.

Magellanic penguin on the Valdés Peninsula

Can we still talk about sanctuary in the face of contemporary pressures?

Yes, but it’s a fragile sanctuary. On land, activities are very closely supervised. The real challenge lies out at sea. Species are directly dependent on marine resources. Today, the pressure exerted by industrial fishing is considerable. Preserving the Valdes peninsula is not just about protecting its shores: it’s also about keeping an eye on what’s happening over the horizon.

David Beaune, expedition leader for PONANT EXPLORATIONS, talks with passengers

As an expedition leader, what are you above all trying to convey?

A form of attention. Of course, we share knowledge, keys to understanding. But the important thing is to get travellers to see things differently. Behind every animal, every movement, every silence, there is a story. When you start to observe this, the nature of the journey changes. It becomes more profound, more intimate. Perhaps that’s where the real experience lies.

Photo credits: Joanna Marchi; Studio PONANT/Margot Sib; Nathalie Michel; PONANT/Olivier Blaud; iStock

Explore the flora and fauna of unspoilt shores