Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Six Tips on How to Help Save the Whales: Whales Need Your Help!

A guest blog from PADI to mark World Whale Day
Thanks to the brutal practice of whaling over the last century, whales are still recovering from plummeting populations: nearly three million whales were killed. Today, whales (and their dolphin cousins) face constant threats from entanglements in fishing gear, ship strikes, noise, pollution, and habitat loss. Further, plastic particles outnumber plankton in many of their key feeding grounds.
Researchers from Harvard University have determined that whales’ feeding habits actually “fertilize” phytoplankton, which in turn provides half the world’s oxygen, scientific evidence that firmly links healthy whale populations to the fight against climate change.
Whether you love whales, or not – it’s critical to protect them. Healthy whale populations play a vital role in our world’s largest and most important ecosystem – an ecosystem that provides more oxygen than all the rainforests combined is our best defence against rising CO2 levels, and provides more than ⅕ of the world’s population with food.
By protecting whales and their habitats, we are protecting… ourselves. So here’s a few easy tips from PADI on how you can take action
1. Go Plastic Free
At least 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year and more than 250 million tons of plastic are estimated to cloudy our waters by 2025. It’s difficult to wrap our heads around how much plastic that really is and even harder to stomach (pun intended) how much of this debris ends up ingested by whales and other marine creatures, usually resulting in death-by-starvation. It is one of biggest threats to all whales and dolphins occurring throughout the world’s oceans.
2. Clean up Your Act
According to the United Nations Environment Program, 8 million pieces of marine debris enter the ocean every single day. This equates to 6.4 million tons of trash each year. The majority of marine litter enters the ocean from land. So recycle whatever you can, pick up trash you find, and avoid letting balloons go.
Why not take a few hours out on a Saturday to plan a local beach clean up. Disposing of your trash responsibly and picking up other trash near waterways is a simple and effective way to help protect whales and dolphins.
3. Become a Diver; Then Dive with a Purpose
Becoming a scuba diver opens up a whole new world to you – and connects you to a global community of passionate ocean advocates. Not only can you actually enter the whale’s home and maybe – just maybe if you are lucky enough – come eye to eye with one, but you’ll also be able to take meaningful action to save them.
After you receive your open water diving certificate, you can support local communities in their protection areas through dive tourism, engage in citizen science efforts to restore the whales home (like planting corals!), get a “Whale Warrior” distinctive specialty, or even participate in a Dive Against Debris and submit a survey every time you dive. For almost three decades, divers have been partners in the fight against marine debris. Divers are adding the unique underwater perspective to this global crisis through the AWARE Dive Against Debris® citizen science program and collecting evidence to inform measures that can stop the problem at the source.
4. Support Responsible Whale Tourism
When we see something, we care about it more. So whether you book a whale watching tour, a swim with the whales journey, or encounter them during a dive trip in whale hot spots, your passion for protecting them and educating others to do the same will increase ten-fold! Your first whale encounter will make you a whale advocate for life–and you can do so with PADI Centers all over the world. It also ensures that whales are protected around the world – thanks to the tourism impact upon local economies.
5. Use Your Words, Your Wallet and/or Your Time to Make a Difference!
Making a difference can be as simple as your signature – ensuring local legislation protects endangered sea creatures and their homes. Many conservation groups rely on your help to advocate for their protection. Sign petitions or write letters to elected officials to increase protections for whales and dolphins. And if you have more time, consider volunteering. Finally, If you can afford it, support an organisation you trust by donating or even adopting a whale of your own!
6. Be a Spokesperson On Land with Whale Gear: Proceeds Protect the Whales
You can score amazing gear that celebrates and also supports whale conservation. Start meaningful conversations, shop sustainably and donate to their protection – all at once. Check out PADI Gear’s Whale Collection – with proceeds going directly towards helping to save the whales.
Header Image: Jay Clue, Dive Ninja Expeditions
Blogs
Evolution of Manatees in Florida

Op-ed by Beth Brady, PhD, Senior Science and Conservation Associate, Save the Manatee® Club
Recent news articles and broadcasts have claimed that manatees are not native to Florida or only arrived on Florida’s west coast in the 1950s. These claims, based on limited anthropological records, point to where manatees were historically exploited by humans and assume that a lack of evidence means manatees were absent from certain areas. However, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence—it’s like looking for stars in the daytime; just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there. Moreover, genetic and fossil evidence indicate manatees have been present in Florida for the last 12,000 years.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which manages Florida manatee populations, has created a manatee timeline highlighting key dates and notable information about manatee presence in Florida (https://myfwc.com/education/wildlife/manatee/timeline/). Historical records suggest that manatees have been observed in Florida as far back as the 1500s, with some details presented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife timeline aligning with evidence presented in the publication.
Manatee species, such as the African manatee and the Antillean manatee, continue to be poached by humans (Marsh et al., 2022). As a result, these species are difficult to observe in the wild and may adapt by foraging at night to avoid human encounters (Rycyk et al., 2021). This behavior could help explain why historical Florida manatee populations that were hunted by humans are absent from middens and rarely mentioned in historical accounts.
Further, the publication only briefly touches on the paleontological record and genetic evidence, which indicate that manatees have existed in Florida for a much longer period. Fossil and genetic evidence reveal a rich history of manatees in Florida. Manatees belong to the order Sirenia, which includes the Amazonian, African, and West Indian manatee species. While Sirenian fossils have been found globally, only Florida and the Caribbean contain specimens from every epoch over the past 50 million years (Reep and Bonde, 2006). The modern manatee, as we know it, emerged in the Caribbean about 2 million years ago (Domning, 1982).
The evolution of manatees during the Pleistocene epoch provides valuable insights into how environmental changes shaped their distribution and genetic diversity. During the Pleistocene epoch (2.59 million to 11,700 years ago), there were roughly 20 cycles of long glacial periods (40,000–100,000 years) followed by shorter interglacial periods lasting around 20,000 years. At the start of these warmer periods, Caribbean manatees migrated northward with the warming waters (Reep and Bonde, 2006). Water currents and thermal barriers isolated these manatees from populations in Mexico and the Caribbean, leading to genetic divergence. Fossil evidence indicates that Trichechus manatus bakerorum lived in Florida and North Carolina about 125,000 years ago but did not survive the last glacial period, which began 100,000 to 85,000 years ago (Domning, 2005). This subspecies was eventually replaced by modern Florida manatees.
This evolutionary theory is further supported by genetic evidence. Research indicates that Florida manatees trace their evolutionary origins to Caribbean ancestors that migrated northward over the past 12,000 years (Garcia-Rodriguez et al., 1998). A 2012 study by Tucker et al. reinforces this theory, showing higher genetic diversity in manatees on Florida’s west coast compared to those on the east. Over time, core populations migrated northward, with some groups moving south and east along the Florida coastline before heading north along the Atlantic. This migration pattern left the west coast population with greater genetic diversity, while the east coast population retained only a smaller subset. These findings suggest that the founding population of Florida manatees—arriving approximately 12,000 years ago—originated along Florida’s southwestern coast, which became the center of the state’s manatee population (Reep and Bonde, 2006). The process of vicariance further supports this hypothesis; as geographic and ecological barriers emerged, they likely isolated the Florida manatee populations from their Caribbean ancestors. This isolation likely limited migration back and forth between regions, fostering the establishment of local populations in southwestern Florida.
Manatees are not only a cherished symbol of Florida’s natural heritage but also a species with deep evolutionary and historical ties to the region. In sum, despite recent claims questioning their nativity, extensive fossil and genetic evidence confirms that manatees have been present in Florida’s waters for thousands of years, with ancestors dating back over 12,000 years. We agree with the authors of the published article that protecting these iconic creatures and their habitats is essential to preserving Florida’s unique ecological identity for future generations
Beth Brady is the Senior Science and Conservation Associate at Save the Manatee Club whose work focuses on manatee biology and conservation. She has her PhD from Florida Atlantic University and her Master’s in Marine Science from Nova Southeastern University.
Blogs
Saba’s Plan for a Coral Comeback

Saba has an exciting new initiative to restore its coral reefs. This new project, running from 2024 to 2026, will focus on reviving key species in the island’s underwater ecosystems. With a collaborative team from the Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF) and Van Hall Larenstein (VHL) University of Applied Sciences, the project aims to restore both corals as well as sea urchins.
This initiative is centered around coral restoration, specifically reviving two essential coral species—staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) and elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). By mapping parent colonies and using a technique known as coral gardening, SCF will create and maintain coral nurseries. These corals will eventually be outplanted at key reef sites around Saba to not only expand the number of coral colonies, but also provide essential fish habitat. The project focusses on installing coral nurseries, training staff with the newest techniques and starting with the restoration of key reef sites.
Reef Cleaners to the Rescue
It’s not just corals getting a makeover—this project also shines a spotlight on the essential role of grazers, particularly sea urchins. VHL is leading the charge on cultivating and restocking two key sea urchin species, West Indian sea egg (Tripneustes) and long-spined sea urchin (Diadema), known for their ability to keep algae in check. By removing algae, which are important competitors of corals, they help the coral to thrive. By restoring these “reef cleaners,” Saba’s project will give corals the breathing room they need to grow, setting the stage for a healthier, more balanced marine ecosystem.
From Tiny Urchins to Big Goals
The project will be funded as part of the Dutch Government’s Nature and Environment Policy Plan (NEPP) 2020-2030 for the Caribbean Netherlands, a comprehensive initiative aimed at conserving and restoring the unique natural environments of the Dutch Caribbean islands, including Saba, St. Eustatius, and Bonaire. This project is aiming for big milestones: build and maintaining coral nurseries, the expansion of urchin cultivation facilities, and the creation of a dedicated research center. By 2026, the project hopes to ramp up coral and grazer restoration, with the ultimate goal of extending these efforts across the Dutch Caribbean. By linking local initiatives to broader regional goals, Saba’s restoration project promises to leave a lasting impact on both the environment and the community.
Find out more about the DCNA at dcnanature.org.
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