BBC Wildlife Magazine

Photo story: San Pedro Mártir

Sitting in the Gulf of California, the remote Mexican island of San Pedro Mártir looms from the water as a hostile rocky fortress. For seabirds, it couldn’t be more appealing.

- Photograph­er Alejandro Prieto

Meet the wildlife inhabitant­s of a small island in the Gulf of California

It’s just 2km across, but San Pedro Mártir is a remarkably biodiverse little island, so ecological­ly intact that, in 2019, it was added to the IUCN’s Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas (which includes just 46 locations worldwide). The island is best known for its enormous nesting colony of blue-footed ( pictured) and brown boobies: some 200,000 birds descend between June and August to breed.

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?? ?? ABOVE With few humans permitted on the island, San Pedro is virtually pristine. Forests of Mexican cardon cactus – a species that can grow to nearly 20m tall – cover the upper tracts of the island, tingeing the landscape green when viewed from above. The rest of the island is plastered with thick layers of white guano, testament to the sheer number of birds it supports.
ABOVE With few humans permitted on the island, San Pedro is virtually pristine. Forests of Mexican cardon cactus – a species that can grow to nearly 20m tall – cover the upper tracts of the island, tingeing the landscape green when viewed from above. The rest of the island is plastered with thick layers of white guano, testament to the sheer number of birds it supports.
?? ?? LEFT Blue-footed and brown boobies thrive on San Pedro, happily sharing nest sites across the island. Here, a male brown booby offers a feather to a female – part of his efforts to woo her. The birds are very protective over, and faithful to, their nests, with both males and females sharing parental duties.
LEFT Blue-footed and brown boobies thrive on San Pedro, happily sharing nest sites across the island. Here, a male brown booby offers a feather to a female – part of his efforts to woo her. The birds are very protective over, and faithful to, their nests, with both males and females sharing parental duties.
?? ?? Brandt’s cormorants nest in large numbers on San Pedro, particular­ly on the rocky cliffs of Cormorant Islet on the island’s east coast. Nests are large and scruffy, constructe­d from plants and seaweed.
Brandt’s cormorants nest in large numbers on San Pedro, particular­ly on the rocky cliffs of Cormorant Islet on the island’s east coast. Nests are large and scruffy, constructe­d from plants and seaweed.
?? ?? BOTTOM Seventeen species of starfish, as well as myriad sea urchins and sea cucumbers, adorn the rocks off San Pedro. “Strangely, visibility varies all around the island – in some spots, it’s very good, in others, it’s poor,” says Alejandro. “But everywhere, the water teems with life.”
BOTTOM Seventeen species of starfish, as well as myriad sea urchins and sea cucumbers, adorn the rocks off San Pedro. “Strangely, visibility varies all around the island – in some spots, it’s very good, in others, it’s poor,” says Alejandro. “But everywhere, the water teems with life.”
?? ?? BELOW The brown pelican colony on San Pedro is one of Mexico’s largest. The birds nest on the upper part of the island and feed by plunge-diving, using the force of impact to stun small fish that are then scooped up in those enormous bills. Brown pelicans came perilously close to extinction across their range in 1970 as a result of pesticide pollution, but recovered following the US ban on DDT.
BELOW The brown pelican colony on San Pedro is one of Mexico’s largest. The birds nest on the upper part of the island and feed by plunge-diving, using the force of impact to stun small fish that are then scooped up in those enormous bills. Brown pelicans came perilously close to extinction across their range in 1970 as a result of pesticide pollution, but recovered following the US ban on DDT.
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?? ?? ABOVE San Pedro’s 2,500-strong sealion population is one of the most important in the Gulf of California. “The sealions here are not accustomed to people. The youngsters are curious while the adults are cautious and protective,” says Alejandro. “On one occasion, I had to leave the water as one particular male was getting very aggressive.” The animals often scale the cliffs in search of resting spots, climbing as high as 70m.
ABOVE San Pedro’s 2,500-strong sealion population is one of the most important in the Gulf of California. “The sealions here are not accustomed to people. The youngsters are curious while the adults are cautious and protective,” says Alejandro. “On one occasion, I had to leave the water as one particular male was getting very aggressive.” The animals often scale the cliffs in search of resting spots, climbing as high as 70m.
?? ?? ABOVE A pod of spinner dolphins carves up San Pedro’s calm waters. Today, only scientists are permitted onto the island, but that wasn’t always the case. From 1885 to 1891, 135 Mexicans settled here with their families, employed by the Mexican Phosphate and Sulphur Company to harvest guano for export as fertiliser. A few stone ruins serve as the only reminder of the island’s short-lived colonisati­on.
ABOVE A pod of spinner dolphins carves up San Pedro’s calm waters. Today, only scientists are permitted onto the island, but that wasn’t always the case. From 1885 to 1891, 135 Mexicans settled here with their families, employed by the Mexican Phosphate and Sulphur Company to harvest guano for export as fertiliser. A few stone ruins serve as the only reminder of the island’s short-lived colonisati­on.
?? ?? OVERLEAF The white flowers of the cardon cactus bloom from March to June, after which the plants are adorned with lightbrown bristly fruits. The flowers, which are pollinated by bats and insects, open at dusk and close again at noon the following day.
OVERLEAF The white flowers of the cardon cactus bloom from March to June, after which the plants are adorned with lightbrown bristly fruits. The flowers, which are pollinated by bats and insects, open at dusk and close again at noon the following day.
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?? ?? Blue-footed boobies are known for their extravagan­t courtship displays, which include whistling, lifting the feet and throwing back the head and wings. The bluer the feet, the more attractive the mate. “Hundreds of pairs are courting at the same time, and the noise and movement are phenomenal,” says Alejandro. “I could spend hours watching these birds try to impress each other.”
Blue-footed boobies are known for their extravagan­t courtship displays, which include whistling, lifting the feet and throwing back the head and wings. The bluer the feet, the more attractive the mate. “Hundreds of pairs are courting at the same time, and the noise and movement are phenomenal,” says Alejandro. “I could spend hours watching these birds try to impress each other.”
?? ?? LEFT From the air, you can see why San Pedro is likened to a sea monster rising from the depths. “For me, this island is synonymous with wilderness. It is as it should be – unchanged by humans,” says Alejandro. “It is a magical little place with a spectacula­r variety of species. There is life everywhere you look.”
LEFT From the air, you can see why San Pedro is likened to a sea monster rising from the depths. “For me, this island is synonymous with wilderness. It is as it should be – unchanged by humans,” says Alejandro. “It is a magical little place with a spectacula­r variety of species. There is life everywhere you look.”
?? ?? ALEJANDRO PRIETO is an award-winning wildlife and underwater photograph­er from Guadalajar­a, Mexico. He spent 15 days photograph­ing San Pedro Mártir on assignment for the IUCN. To see more of his work, visit alejandrop­rietophoto­graphy.com
ALEJANDRO PRIETO is an award-winning wildlife and underwater photograph­er from Guadalajar­a, Mexico. He spent 15 days photograph­ing San Pedro Mártir on assignment for the IUCN. To see more of his work, visit alejandrop­rietophoto­graphy.com

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