The biological and ecological characteristics of marine mammals make them particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts: their late maturation and low reproduction rates already constitute a point of sensitivity; moreover, they exploit often coastal habitats and their diet includes species exploited by fisheries. Among the 30 or so species of cetaceans identified so far in the Wider Caribbean Region, seven have been classified in the global IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list of threatened species: the Blue Whale and the Sei whale have been classified as Endangered, the Fin whale, the Sperm whale, and the West Indian manatee have been classified as Vulnerable, the Sotalia and the False killer whale have been classified as Near Threatened. In addition, at least seven species were classified as Data Deficient.

Sotalia (Sotalia guianensis), coastal dolphin endemic of the Guyana shield©C.Pusineri

Marine mammals are protected by numerous international conventions, such as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention), which aims to strengthen international cooperation for the protection of migratory species, or the CITES convention, which regulates international trade of endangered species of wild fauna and flora. At the regional level, in the Caribbean region, all marine mammal species are fully protected by the SPAW protocol (dedicated to specially protected species and areas) of the Cartagena Convention.


Their conservation and protection status are not the only arguments in favor of enhancing the conservation of marine mammals. Indeed, these animals are particularly appreciated by the general public and can be used as such to raise awareness and mobilize the population for the preservation of the marine environment. In addition, marine mammals are relevant models for assessing and monitoring environmental conditions: not only are they top predators (at the end of trophic chains), but also their aerial breathing species, which forces them to come to the surface, facilitates their observation compared to most other marine animals.

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