Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico - The 3rd Ballenarte Conservation Festival will be held from March 20-23, 2018, with activities in the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta to raise awareness regarding the importance of protecting the humpback whale and the natural riches of the Bahía de Banderas.

The event is led by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP by its acronym in Spanish) via the Islas Marietas National Park administration, in coordination with Whale Ecology and Conservation (ECOBAC by its acronym in English), which receives support from the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Bahía de Banderas Hotel and Motel Association (AHMBB).

The Ballenarte Conservation Festival, the only one of its kind in the region, offers a series of ecological, cultural, and recreational activities to engage the local community, domestic and foreign tourists, and, of course, the children from both tourism destinations so as to inform them of the importance of learning more about these marine giants and their safeguarding.

According to biologist Astrid Frisch Jordán, Director at ECOBAC, every winter some 500 humpback whales arrive in Bahía de Banderas in order to mate, and about 40 calves are born in these waters every year. The cetaceans remain in the area for four months from December through March.

Ballenarte Festival Activities

March 20 - 'Sonic Sea' Documentary at Jardín de la Luna in Puerto Vallarta at 8:00 pm

March 21 - 'Yuba and the Ball' at Marina Riviera Nayarit at 4:00 pm, and at the Punta de Mita Community Center at 6:00 pm

March 22 - Storytelling at Los Mangos Puerto Vallarta Library at 4:00 pm

March 23 - 'Whales and Their Friends' Environmental Fair at Bucerías Plaza at 4:00 pm

Environmental Fair

Meanwhile, the administration of the Islas Marietas National Park is extending an invitation to all the members of civil organizations dedicated to the care, protection, and education of natural resources, as well as those companies that handle whale watching tours and that, by extension, engage in activities focused on conservation and/or environmental education with whales and other natural resources, so they can join in the efforts to aid in the conservation of the humpback whales and participate in the "Whales and Their Friends" environmental fair, which takes place on Friday, March 23, in the main plaza at Bucerías.

For more information about the Environmental Fair, email biol.espinoza(at)gmail.com, or call (322) 221-3549.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Bahía de Banderas Hotel and Motel Association have prioritized the conservation of the environment as part of their promotional efforts, with the full support of the Government of the State of Nayarit via the Tourism Promotion Trust (Fiprotur).