Gulfs San Jose and Nuevo -- more like sheltered maritime lagoons than gulfs -- lie to the north and south of the peninsula. Year after year, animals return to these calm, protected waters to mate and raise their young. Large colonies of sea lions and elephant seals line miles of coastal beaches, while southern right whales harbor in the gulfs.

Conservation Efforts
Conservation efforts to protect the rare and endangered species that gather at Valdes peninsula are ongoing. The Punta Piramides section of Valdes peninsula is now a protected provincial reserve, and tourists to the area are restricted to observation areas. Why Peninsula Valdes, with its abundance of natural treasures, continues to be excluded as a whole from the Argentine National Park system remains a mystery.