Our Partners

Project Objective

The Sounds of the Caribbean Sea project aims to fill the knowledge gap on the migration of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Eastern Caribbean. These cetaceans, essential to marine biodiversity, travel thousands of kilometers each year between their feeding grounds in the North Atlantic and their tropical breeding grounds. However, their distribution and migratory behaviors remain little studied in the region. Led by the NGOs Ripples to Waves and the Caribbean Cetacean Society, in collaboration with local partners, this project relies on a network of marine stakeholders, including diving centers, to collect opportunistic visual and acoustic data. Using songs heard by divers and field observations, the program aims to establish a precise map of humpback whale movements in the Caribbean arc. This information, collected via detailed forms, includes the location of observations, the number of individuals, as well as the intensity and frequency of the songs recorded. By actively involving local communities, Sounds of the Caribbean Sea contributes not only to scientific research, but also to awareness and conservation of these iconic species.