Earth is 71% water, with 5 huge oceans covering the majority of the Earth. The smaller, shallower cousins of the oceans are the seas, which generally hug the land and are home to an incredible number of marine creatures.
Today, we’re going to be looking at the Sea of Cortez, detailing everything from its location to its wildlife, and how Blue Reef Portsmouth expertly recreates the conditions of it to make our animals as comfortable as they would be in the wild.
What is the Sea of Cortez?
The Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is a strip of sea on the east side of the Pacific Ocean, bordered by Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, and Sinaloa, on the Western coast of Mexico.
7 impressive facts about the Sea of Cortez
The Sea of Cortez holds lots of secrets and fascinating facts. Here are just a few of them…
The Sea of Cortez is one of the youngest seas on the planet
Despite being millions of years old, the Sea of Cortez is among the youngest seas on the planet. It was formed when the Pacific Plate and North American Plate began to drift apart, ripping land apart and allowing water to spill into the area.
In fact, the Baja California peninsula is still moving away from mainland Mexico.
The Sea of Cortez was named in honour of Hernán Cortés
The sea gets its name from Hernán Cortés, a Spanish conquistador who led voyages across to the Americas that caused the downfall of the Aztec Empire. Spanish explorer, Francisco de Ulloa, named it the Sea of Cortez in 1539.
At its deepest point, the Sea of Cortez is over 3,000 meters deep
The deepest point of the Sea of Cortez is over 3,000 metres deep, or as deep as 3.5 Burj Khalifas (the tallest building in the world). At these kinds of depths, only specially adapted creatures can survive because of the immense water pressure. On average, the Sea of Cortez is around 818 metres deep, which is about the same as the height of the Burj Khalifa.
There are over 900 islands in the Sea of Cortez
Across the 160,000 km² sea, there are over 900 islands of varying sizes. Even the smallest islands serve as vital nesting points for birds and other wildlife. Among the over 900 islands, there are 37 main islands in the sea. The two largest are Isla Ángel de la Guarda and Isla Tiburón.
The Sea of Cortez is one of the most diverse seas on Earth
The Sea of Cortez is renowned for the incredible variety of wildlife that calls it home. From humpback whales to hammerhead sharks, dolphins to sea urchins and seabirds only found in this part of the world. This menagerie of animals earned it the nickname ‘the aquarium of the world’.
The Sea of Cortez is named a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Sea of Cortez became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019 because of its exceptional biodiversity, natural beauty, and unique geological features. Once a site is granted World Heritage status, it gains international recognition, legal protections, and even international assistance from UNESCO.
The legendary ‘Black Demon’ lives in the Sea of Cortez
Just like Loch Ness in Scotland, the Sea of Cortez is home to its own legendary marine creatures. Said to be lurking in the depths of the Gulf of California, the ‘Black Demon’ is an enormous jet-black shark that’s said to grow up to 3 times the size of a Great White.
There have never been any verified stories of the ‘Black Demon’, with some sceptics claiming it could just be a misidentified Whale Shark.
Witness a diverse marine life at Blue Reef Portsmouth
The Sea of Cortez is full of diverse marine life, and so is Blue Reef Portsmouth. In our aquarium, we’re incredibly excited to be able to showcase some of the wonderful animals that can be found in the Sea of Cortez.
In our Sea of Cortez exhibit, you can find species like pufferfish, angelfish, unicornfish, tangs, as well as larger species like stingrays.
Our team of experts are always on hand to answer any questions and provide you with even more fun facts about the animals throughout our aquarium.
From its incredible wildlife to its beautiful scenery, the Sea of Cortez well and truly earns its name as the Aquarium of the World. If you’re excited to learn about the Sea of Cortez, or any of the creatures that live in it, book your tickets to Blue Reef Aquarium today!