California Academy of Sciences - Cuba Diving: A Sustainable Marine Conservation & Humanitarian Experience

Join Dr. Luiz Rocha  to embark on a diving adventure like no other to explore and experience the results of sustainable marine conservation in Cuba.

Eco-enthusiasts, divers and snorkelers support conservation efforts while diving, snorkeling, exploring mangroves and experiencing one of the world's most pristine coral reef ecosystems, Jardines de la Reina - the Gardens of the Queen -- a marine conservation area located sixty miles off Cuba's southern coast. During your week aboard, work alongside Cuban marine biologists on a long-term environmental project combining diving activities and sustainable conservation.

Jardines de la Reina is a protected marine reserve in the Caribbean Sea off Cuba's southern coast. Renowned for its stunning natural beauty, biodiversity, and abundant marine life, it hosts sharks, sea turtles, barracudas, and numerous colorful fish species. The reserve is home to American crocodiles and features some of the Caribbean's healthiest coral reefs, providing habitat for hundreds of fish and invertebrate species. The area has been strictly regulated as a marine reserve since the 1990s to minimize ecosystem impact.

Curator and Follett Chair of Ichthyology Dr. Luiz Rocha is a frequent visitor to the ocean's mysterious and seldom-visited "twilight zone." Studying the ecology and evolution of coral reef fishes, the spread of invasive species, and the origins of fish diversity, his work takes him around the world—and to depths of 500 feet.