This year, six joint scientific expeditions of the Ti Whale An Nou (which means “our own little whales” in a mix of English and French Caribbean Creole) program were held. The research program explores the diversity, distribution and quantity of whales and dolphins in the Caribbean, as well as the threats facing them. The information is used to improve the conservation of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) in the Wider Caribbean region. The expedition started in Martinique and covered a total of eleven Caribbean islands during their journey. Six scientific expeditions of 15 days took place between March and September 2022.

The expedition also focused on improving capacity building in the Caribbean by training the several representatives of the Protected Area Management Organizations to conduct marine mammal science. Therefore, from the Dutch Caribbean representatives joined third and sixth joint scientific expedition .

This expedition is coordinated by the Caribbean Cetacean Society (CCS) and is made possible thanks to several partners including  the World Wide Fund for Nature the Netherlands (WWF-NL), the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and other partners. 

Ti Whale An Nou 2022 Expedition Overview

Watch this video and learn more about this expedition and some participants from the Dutch Caribbean region. 

Protecting whales and dolphin in the Caribbean 

 Watch the video in which Tadzio Bervoets (former Director DCNA) explains: 

• Why DCNA is supporting the CCS .
• DCNA’s strategy to get support from the governments for the protection of transboundary species. 

Whale and dolphin research program in the Caribbean 

Watch the video in which Jeffrey Bernus (CCS Expedition Leader) explains: 

• The goal of Caribbean Cetacean Society (CCS).
• Why is it important to involve different islands throughout the Wider Caribbean region.
• Lessons learned from the previous expeditions. 

Transboundary Protection

Fortunately, the marine mammals of the Caribbean Netherlands receive special protection within the the Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary.  This sanctuary comprises all the waters of Bonaire and Saba and St. Eustatius. The name of the sanctuary “Yarari” is a Taíno Indian word, meaning ‘a fine place’ as it is intended to provide “a fine place” for marine mammals, sharks and rays. This special edition of BioNews contains information on the Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary and an overview of the current knowledge on marine mammals, sharks and rays in the Dutch Caribbean. The goal is to eventually extend the borders of this sanctuary to also include the neighboring Dutch Caribbean islands: Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten.

Learn more about the marine mammals of the Dutch Caribbean by checking out the Yarari Marine Mammals and Shark Sanctuary Special Edition BioNews.