Charlene Pérez Santos

Fieldwork & Conservation in Action

A glimpse into my fieldwork with the Distrito de Conservación de Suelos y Agua del Este (DCSAE) in Puerto Rico. From monitoring endangered species like the coquí guajón and paloma sabanera to conducting biodiversity assessments and evaluating wildlife habitats, these experiences reflect my commitment to hands-on conservation, habitat protection, and collaboration with local communities and conservation partners.

CalCurCEAS 2024 | NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center

A collection of fieldwork moments from the 2024 California Current Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (CalCurCEAS), where I contributed to marine mammal surveys, photo-identification, acoustic monitoring, and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. These photographs capture the incredible wildlife, teamwork, and hands-on research experiences shared with fellow scientists during our time at sea.

Photo Credits: Fellow scientists and research team members. Marine mammal research conducted under NMFS Permit No. 22306.

Humpback Whale Research | Bahía de Banderas, Mexico

A glimpse into my graduate thesis fieldwork in Bahía de Banderas, Mexico, where I studied humpback whale movements and their interactions with vessel traffic in Pacific Mexico. Working alongside an international team of researchers, I participated in satellite tagging, photo-identification, aerial photogrammetry, and biological data collection. These experiences contributed to identifying vessel-strike risk hotspots and developing science-based conservation strategies to protect humpback whales in their breeding grounds.

Research Publication (Under Review)

Pérez Santos, C., Palacios, D. M., Irvine, L., Urbán, J., Martínez-Loustalot, P., Ransome, N., Viloria-Gómora, L., Lagerquist, B. A., Mate, B. R., Guzman, H. M., Fonseca-Ponce, I. A., Zavala-Jiménez, A. A., & Stewart, J. D. (2026).