Ana Sofia Merino was born in the metropolis of Guadalajara but raised in one of Mexico's smallest communities, Zacatecas. She comes from an adventurous family that loves traveling and being close to the ocean. As a result, Sofia spent almost every vacation on Mexico's Pacific Coast, immersed in this salty world with her cousins, to whom she was always asking questions about the animals she was observing.

From those childhood moments forward, Sofia's dream was to study marine life, especially whales. She moved to the Baja Peninsula to enroll in the marine biology program at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur. Since then, she has balanced her passion for the ocean in two arenas, research and guiding. As a researcher, Sofia pursued her bachelor's thesis in blue whale acoustics. In pursuit of her guiding passion, she leads natural history and whale-watching expeditions in Baja's La Paz Bay and San Ignacio Lagoon. Along with guiding, Sofia is helping the local fishing communities in these areas achieve their own goals in ecotourism. She is also very keen to share science in order to inspire young students, and each year she returns to her high school to give talks about whales, ecotourism, and other current projects with which she is involved.

When she isn't working, Sofía loves to spend time traveling with her family and planning new adventures, especially on the Mexican coast. She also enjoys hiking and snorkeling with friends on the rocky coasts and coral reefs around La Paz.

Praise from Nat Hab Travelers: 

B. Ewing
"Sofia was a perfect trip leader. She was professional, friendly, informative, kind, generous and energizing. She went the extra mile for all of us!"

G. Mai
"Nat Hab has an amazing guide in Sofia. Her knowledge about the grey whales (and other marine life) in the lagoon was incredible. As an Expedition Leader, she expertly guided us throughout the trip, preparing us for each day and then making our whale watching outings as good as they could be. Their knowledge of whale behaviors allowed her to let us know what expect and where to look. For me as a photographer, Sofia was particularly helpful in letting me know when and where to look for good shots. She also was critical in helping me set up my GoPro for underwater use; if not for her, I'd have lots of video of murky water as opposed to the shots of a whale's eye! I can't say enough good things about Sofia."

B. West
"I think Sofia is exceptionally talented! She has a rare combination of being very knowledgeable and very personable. I think she is the best tour leader I have ever had. I have already recommended this trip to family members and friends, and Sofia is a big part of why the trip was enjoyable. She was terrific with us guests, and I could tell the staff liked her too."

L. Tse
"Sofia was an outstanding guide. She had a very positive "can-do" attitude: tireless, helpful, fun and very knowledgeable. I appreciated her biology background and her being from Mexico and being so familiar with Baja California Sur. Having a guide from the country/region adds a lot to the trip, as they can provide an important cultural/political perspective."

K. Searle
"Sofia is a superstar! She is incredibly knowledgable, personable, patient and enthusiastic, and she was a joy to travel with. She makes Nat Hab look great!"