The Guna Yala comarca, a self-governed Indigenous territory on Panama’s coast, hosts over 80% of the coral reefs in Panama’s Caribbean waters. This remote stretch of coastline, formerly known as the San Blas Islands, is home to the Guna people – an Indigenous community whose identity is woven into the fabric of the sea.

But beneath these clear, turquoise waters, an urgent battle is unfolding. Climate change, coral bleaching, overfishing, and other human activities threaten this delicate marine ecosystem.

For the Guna people, Muubili (the ocean in Guna) is a lifeline, providing sustenance, medicine, and spiritual grounding. They have passed down intricate knowledge of marine species, ecosystems, and ocean patterns for generations. Now, ancestral wisdom is joining forces with modern science in a groundbreaking coral reef conservation effort. At the forefront of this transformation is an initiative that empowers young Guna women, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to lead the charge in marine conservation.

Empowering Indigenous Women and Bridging STEM

This new coral reef conservation and research initiative, co-led by MarAlliance, the Kuna Congress’s scientific arm (IIDKY), in collaboration with SENACYT Panama and the Panamanian Ministry of Environment, is reshaping conservation efforts in the region. Guna women are being trained in marine biology and environmental sciences, gaining the skills to protect their ocean home while promoting gender equity in their community.

Traditionally seen as cultural and societal stewards, women are now stepping into a new role as guardians of the reef, blending ancestral knowledge with modern marine science.

Globally, women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, making up only 33% of the workforce in scientific research, according to UNESCO. Indigenous women, in particular, encounter additional challenges, including limited access to education, cultural biases, and systemic underrepresentation in marine science. Initiatives like this not only open doors for Indigenous women in STEM but also empower them to become role models for future generations.

Through this initiative, the project aims to train Guna women in areas such as marine biology and environmental sciences, promoting greater gender equity and providing the kind of opportunities for them to become active stewards of marine ecosystems.

Among these young Guna conservation leaders is Daneira Brown, a marine biologist and MarAlliance’s Research Officer, who is dedicating her career to protecting marine ecosystems in her homeland.

“Since I was a child, I’ve lived in harmony with these waters,” she says. “Our cosmovision teaches us that Muubili is a sacred place, inhabited by ancestral spirits. It may sound like a cliché, but for the Guna people, the sea represents an essential source of life, livelihood, and spirituality. Now, our reefs and the whole ocean are changing, and we must act.

“Kuna women have led sustainable practices in fishing and natural resource management, but these experiences are rarely documented or considered in research projects.”

It’s with thanks to this initiative then, the tide is beginning to change and the voices of Indigenous women are being amplified to ensure their critical role in conservation is recognised in research fields.

Unveiling the Health of Panama’s Coral Reefs

The team surveyed 23 reef sites, using standardised monitoring techniques to measure coral cover, biodiversity, and fish populations. Overall, the expedition registered 55 different species of reef-forming coral from 18 different genera and addresses the urgent need for updated data on reef health and associated fish populations in the region.

Their findings paint a complex picture: some reefs show remarkable resilience, while others bear the scars of climate change and human activity. The records suggest genus and species-specific vulnerabilities to important stressors, meaning each coral species faces its own set of challenges in adapting to environmental changes, and that different types of corals are affected by stressors (temperature fluctuations and diseases, for example) in different ways.

This effort also represents a significant advancement for marine conservation in Panamanian waters, as it marks the most comprehensive coral reef and fish assessment conducted in the region in over 22 years. Although data analysis is still ongoing, early results are beginning to illuminate the present condition of coral reefs and offer valuable insights into the ecological dynamics of reef communities in Guna Yala.

For example, much like patterns seen elsewhere in the Caribbean, a strong, positive relationship has been observed between coral reef diversity, benthic complexity – the structure and variation of the seafloor – and fish diversity.

While snorkelling and diving during the reef surveys, the team didn’t just collect data – they experienced the reef as a living, dynamic world.

“While diving, we weren’t just working – we were observing firsthand the interactions between different organisms in their natural habitat. It was as if they were inviting us into their home,” recalls Daneira, her personal connection adding a deeper layer to the scientific findings, and making the degradation in certain areas even more striking.

“It wasn’t all beautiful and perfect – there were shocking moments when we saw how such a beautiful place has been deteriorating,” she explains. “It’s crucial to dispel the myth that resources and biodiversity will always be there.”

By combining advocacy, education, and hands-on conservation, this MarAlliance project is empowering these Guna women to drive Indigenous-led marine conservation forward. Their work stands as a testament to resilience, blending centuries-old traditions with modern science to safeguard one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems: coral reefs. It also teaches us a valuable lesson: the greatest defenders of the sea may not always be those with the most advanced technology, but those with the deepest connection.