Every winter, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) travel thousands of kilometres from their feeding grounds in the North Atlantic, from Canada to Norway, to reach the warm waters of the Caribbean, where they breed and give birth. Yet their distribution, timing and migratory routes across the region remain poorly understood.

 

Launched in 2024 by the NGOs Ripples to Waves and the Caribbean Cetacean Society, and coordinated by IMRAMA (Institute of Marine Research on Animal-human interactions and Mutual Awareness) from its third season (2026–2027), Sounds of the Caribbean Sea aims to establish a long-term collaborative monitoring of humpback whale migration across the Caribbean, from the Lucayan Archipelago to the coast of Venezuela. The project brings together ocean users, scientific partners and local institutions to collect visual and acoustic observations throughout the breeding season, and to map where and when whales are present along the Caribbean arc.

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Observations are shared through a simple weekly online form and include the location, the number of individuals, the presence of calves and the perceived intensity of the songs heard underwater. Two seasons in, the network has already gathered more than 1,000 observations across 23 territories. By actively involving local communities, Sounds of the Caribbean Sea contributes not only to scientific research, but also to the awareness and conservation of these iconic species.