1. Mastozoology History and Perspectives in Latin America: Marine and Freshwater Mammals in Spotlight

This chapter will introduce readers to the mastozoology history of the marine and freshwater mammals of Latin America. Its inconspicuous beginning in the nineteenth century, its emergence in the mid-twentieth century and the retrospective of the last 32 years based on an evaluation of 16 bi-annual congresses of experts in aquatic mammals of Latin America. Brazil, Argentina and Chile have covered about 75% of all Latin American scientific production (from 29 countries), and studies about cetaceans covered 51–67% of all scientific production. Behavioral and population ecology studies have grown continuously and works focused on conservation, tourism, environmental education, the development of new research methods and new equipment are growing markedly.