Islas Marias Cetaceans | Protecting Whales, Dolphins & Porpoises
Our project is dedicated to protecting the cetaceans—whales, dolphins, and porpoises—of the Islas Marías in the Pacific of Mexico. Through research, education, and conservation, we strive to safeguard the archipelago’s unique marine life as this extraordinary destination gradually opens to sustainable tourism.
For over 100 years the Marías Islands, of the state of Nayarit in Pacific Mexico served as a penal colony, indirectly protecting a pristine marine ecosystem, but limiting research. Unique environmental conditions suggest high cetacean diversity. However, there is no information on cetacean presence. After prison closure in 2019, the islands are now opening for tourism, and information is urgently required for planning/management.
We are conducting the first dedicated studies of cetacean presence on the archipelago via vessel surveys and acoustic monitoring, while simultaneously training students, fisherman and park rangers in cetacean research and tourism. This will provide critical new data for management, while increasing local capacity and aiding local coastal communities.