Gray Whale Nursery

San Ignacio Lagoon, the world’s last undisturbed gray whale birthing ground, is threatened by industrial development.

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The warm tranquil waters of this unique gray whale sanctuary in Baja, Mexico, are perennially threatened by schemes for industrialization and development that would destroy the whales’ home.

San Ignacio Lagoon is the last place on Earth where gray whales can give birth and raise their young without human disturbance. Fifteen years ago, the lagoon was threatened by the Mitsubishi Corporation’s plans to build the world’s largest industrial saltworks. We stopped them and have been working ever since to make sure that this true natural treasure is preserved for all time.

-Pierce Brosnan, Actor and NRDC Member

Nature's Voice Article

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Our historic fight to save San Ignacio Lagoon

Thirteen years later, our campaign to protect the gray whale sanctuary continues.

Pierce Brosnan on the Whale Nursery

Watch the video and then save an acre of the nursery in honor of a friend or family member.

What's at Stake

Every year, gray whales swim thousands of miles to return to the sheltered waters of San Ignacio Lagoon, where they can give birth and nurse their calves in tranquility.

Not that long ago, the future of this extraordinary refuge—the only one of its kind left on the planet—was in jeopardy. The Mitsubishi Corporation threatened to turn the shores of this whale lagoon into an industrial wasteland. Facing worldwide opposition generated by NRDC and our allies, the Mexican government and Mitsubishi abandoned the project. But the lagoon—and the nearly 800-mile long coastline that surrounds it—remain at risk from destructive development.

Progress Report

We’re working with local and international partners to put more legal protections in place for San Ignacio Lagoon and to help local communities resist destructive economic proposals and activities.

Here are a few recent developments: