Citizen Science and iEcology revolution: a critical review of innovations in cetacean monitoring and conservation awareness

Over recent years, there has been a gradual increase in the application of citizen science for studying cetaceans. Following the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, interest in this field expanded rapidly, aided by technological advancements streamlining data collection. This critical review highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of employing citizen science for cetacean monitoring and its role in raising public awareness for protecting these vulnerable species. Participatory scientific approaches can be a valid alternative in studying cetaceans, given their extensive movements across vast oceanic expanses, including remote areas. By training volunteer observers, it is possible to create a widespread network capable of cost-effectively providing data on cetacean distribution and abundance, increasing observation efforts and coverage. iEcology (i.e. internet ecology), defined as the study of ecological patterns and processes using online data, supports the importance of exploiting diverse online sources for data collection, which simultaneously contributes to the recruitment of new citizen scientists. Web pages, social media, online databases and several smartphone apps allow anyone to store countless data in the digital world: photos, videos, texts, sounds, GPS tracks and lots of other fundamental information relating to sightings like the number of individuals, the behaviour of animals, or presence of calves. These easily shareable data facilitate swift access for researchers. The Marecamp Association actively engages in citizen science via the "Friends of Dolphins" Mediterranean network, fostering collaboration among maritime workers in marine mammal research and safeguarding. This program is gathering information on cetaceans in Sicily for six years, actively involving citizen scientists in marine fauna monitoring. Collaborative initiatives, led by expert biologists during awareness-raising events, improve data quality from eyewitness reports and elevate public consciousness. This concerted effort aims to nurture citizen scientists capable of advocating for effective conservation management policies.