Celebrating Oceans Month: A Journey Through Marine Conservation in Panama
Every September, Oceans Month reminds Panamenians about their deep connection to the sea and the importance of protecting our marine ecosystems. In Panama, a country surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with unique marine biodiversity, this date takes on special meaning. At MarAlliance, we work to conserve marine megafauna and protect mangroves, […]
Tracking Panama’s Sawfish: Rediscovering a Lost Giant
Once widespread across tropical waters, the largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) has disappeared from much of its historical range. This Critically Endangered species – one of the ocean’s most distinctive rays – has suffered severe declines due to habitat loss, accidental capture in fisheries, and the illegal wildlife trade. For more than two decades, MarAlliance has […]
How Does Mangrove Loss Threaten Coastal Ecosystems and Community Livelihoods?
Mangrove loss represents a growing threat to coastal ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. These marine-coastal ecosystems, critical for biodiversity conservation, climate change protection and food security, are disappearing at an alarming rate due to urban sprawl, deforestation, pollution and pressure from unsustainable industries. Mangrove degradation not only weakens the […]
Conservation of the Hawksbill Turtle in Masargandup: A Link Between Science and Guna Cosmovision
On a small island in the Panamanian Caribbean, north of the Gulf of Guna Yala, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), a species on the verge of extinction, arrive each year to lay their eggs. Masargandup has been, for generations, a key site for their reproduction. Although surrounded by a relatively healthy reef ecosystem, the island now […]
Panama: Key Sanctuary for Sharks and Rays
Did you know that sharks and rays have been around since before dinosaurs walked the Earth? Today, these ancient marine inhabitants face great threats, but they also show us their incredible resilience. Learn about their biology, the challenges they face and what we can do to protect them. Sharks and rays are true champions of […]
Reef Health and Resilience: A Comprehensive Assessment of Coral and Fish Communities in Guna Yala
Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, providing essential services to marine life and coastal communities. However, these fragile ecosystems are facing increasing threats from both global climate change and local human activities. In Guna Yala, a region renowned for its rich marine biodiversity, we co-launched a new coral reef conservation […]
How Climate Change Plays a Role in Shaping Sea Turtle Generations
Sea turtles are among the most emblematic and charismatic marine species, which contributes to their widespread popularity. Moreover, they provide a range of ecosystem services, such as maintaining the productivity of coral reef and seagrass habitats, balancing the food chain, and transporting nutrients from the ocean to the coast. These factors make sea turtles incredibly […]
MarAlliance and its marine wildlife conservation efforts in Panama.
MarAlliance signs an agreement with Panama’s Ministry of Environment to work collaboratively towards marine conservation. After five years of hard work in the conservation of marine life in Panama, last month we announced the signing of an agreement with the country’s Ministry of Environment to develop cooperative activities in various areas of research, training, and […]
Breaking Barriers: Indigenous Leaders Share Centuries-Old Wisdom on Conservation at Our Ocean Conference Side Event
On March the 2nd, Indigenous leaders from around the world, including members of the Guna Yala Comarca, will gather for a side event at Our Oceans Conference to discuss the importance of traditional knowledge and stewardship in ocean conservation. As anthropogenic pressures shift our planet’s systems, driving changes to our climate and widespread biodiversity […]
Catching and Releasing ‘Aba’ in the waters of the Darien, Panama
‘Aba’ means “one” in the Emberá language spoken by the people that live in the remote Darien province and indigenous territories in eastern Panama. This was the name given by our team of fishers and MarAlliance Community Officer, Hayro Cunampio, to the first sawfish that they captured and released in May as part of our […]
Catalyzing sustainable tourism in Panama’s Guna Yala Comarca
This past year will go down in history for the pandemic’s potent impact on people, travel and economies. Tourism, one of the most affected economic sectors due to widely enacted travel restrictions, saw an 87% drop in arrivals globally between January 2020 and 2021. The sector’s income was reduced by 74.1% in countries such as […]
Community champions: Guna sea savior Leyson Navarro
“I want to support my community members by using my knowledge for their wellbeing and for a better use of our natural riches.” Leyson’s eyes fill with pride when he talks about his family, studies and indigenous background. Originally from a small community called Ugupseni (“small beach” in Guna language) located on an island covered […]
Panama’s Guna Yala local fishers become champions for marine resources management
“We are scared of lionfish, they will kill us if we eat them!” This local fisherman’s testimony was echoed by his fellow fishers during a knowledge exchange workshop with Mexican and Belizean counterparts organized by MarAlliance in Guna Yala. MarAlliance’s ongoing lionfish and marine megafauna project in Panama’s indigenous Guna Yala region answers a real […]
Contrasting artisanal fishing communities in the Azuero Peninsula, Panama
High fishing effort coupled with unsustainable use and destructive practices such as nets, has resulted in the loss of marine biodiversity and in the deterioration of marine ecosystem services since the middle of the 20th century. One of the most important of these services is the provision of food, which implies that the loss of […]
A shark is not always shark in Panama…
People are remarkably fascinated by sharks. Whether they evoke fear, love, or pure curiosity, it is usually not very difficult to get people excited about sharks, especially kids. This has been clearly evident during our education and outreach events in Panama this year. Since the beginning of the year we’ve been able to engage […]