Marine mammals are protected species in many countries and through international regulations. Some territories are also setting up Sanctuaries or marine protected areas in which they have more tranquility.
But they are also emblematic animals, which help to draw the attention of the public and the authorities to broader issues (such as plastic waste or bad fishing practices). As a result, they become umbrella species: by protecting them through the reduction of human threats, we also protect other species and marine life in general.

In order to be able to properly protect these species, many studies are necessary to understand their way of life, their distribution and the state of their populations. Scientists are therefore developing various methods to understand as closely as possible how the marine mammals of the Wider Caribbean Region are living.

• conservation issues, why protect marine mammals?
• conservation tools, how are marine mammals protected in the region?
• the scientific monitoring implemented to better understand the species
• participatory science programs allowing you to become an actor in conservation
• databases information collected by scientists