Loreto
Mexico · Eastern Pacific
Loreto anchors the central Sea of Cortez — Jacques Cousteau's "aquarium of the world" — where Coronado Island sea lions, schooling hammerheads around Carmen Island, and manta rays gliding over Danzante's walls reward divers year-round.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is fairly quiet.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
25 species across the dive sites here
Phainopepla
Seen 21 days ago
at Coronado Island
Least concern
Gila Woodpecker
Seen 21 days ago
at Coronado Island
Least concern
Gray Thrasher
Seen 24 days ago
at Coronado Island
Least concern
Hooded Oriole
Seen 25 days ago
at Coronado Island
Least concern
Longspined Porcupinefish
Seen 1 month ago
at Danzante Island
Least concern
Sally Lightfoot Crab
Seen 1 month ago
at Los Candeleros
California Sea Lion
Seen 1 month ago
at Coronado Island
Least concern
Northern Cardinal
Seen 2 months ago
at Danzante Island
Least concern
Common Side-Blotched Lizard
Seen 2 months ago
at Danzante Island
Least concern
Panamic Sergeant Major
Seen 2 months ago
at Los Candeleros
Least concern
White Ibis
Seen 2 months ago
at Carmen Island Wall
Least concern
Willet
Seen 2 months ago
at Carmen Island Wall
Least concern
Spotted Sandpiper
Seen 2 months ago
at Carmen Island Wall
Least concern
Xantus'S Hummingbird
Seen 2 months ago
at Danzante Island
Least concern
Leopard Grouper
Seen 3 months ago
at Los Candeleros
Least concern
Black-Bellied Plover
Seen 5 months ago
at Carmen Island Wall
Vulnerable
Scalloped Hammerhead
Seen Feb 2024
at Carmen Island Wall
Critically endangered
Black Coral
Seen year round
at Carmen Island Wall
Cortez Electric Ray
Seen year round
at Los Candeleros
Vulnerable
Moray Eel
Seen year round
at Coronado Island
Least concern
Whitetip Reef Shark
Seen year round
at Carmen Island Wall
Vulnerable
Bull Shark
Seasonal visitor
at Danzante Island
Vulnerable
Giant Manta Ray
Seasonal visitor
at Danzante Island
Endangered
Giant Sea Bass
Seasonal visitor
at Coronado Island
Critically endangered
Whale Shark
Seasonal visitor
at Danzante Island
Endangered
Dive sites
Coronado Island
california sea lion · moray eel · giant sea bass · hooded oriole
Danzante Island
giant manta ray · whale shark · bull shark · northern cardinal
Carmen Island Wall
scalloped hammerhead · whitetip reef shark · black coral · white ibis
Los Candeleros
leopard grouper · panamic sergeant major · cortez electric ray · common side-blotched lizard