Mundo Azul

Raising awareness in the general Peruvian public is an ongoing long-term effort that has to be implemented on many different levels.

1.) National and International media campaign

Mundo Azul is involved in a permanent media campaign on a national level.

2.) Local and National awareness campaign

With sponsorship from the Swiss NGO "Working Group for the Protection of Marine Mammals" (Arbeitsgruppe Zum Schutz Der Meeressäuger" - ASMS)

and with the local support of the Mayor of Pucusana, Mundo Azul implemented in 2002 a nationwide awareness campaign by printing 2000 Calendar-Posters and 3000 information leaflets containing information about why to protect small cetaceans and the national laws doing so.

Mister Nestor Chumpitaz, Former Mayor of Pucusana, showing the information-material of the campaign
(© Stefan Austermühle / Mundo Azul)

Volunteers of Mundo Azul talking to the people of Pucusana while distributing our information material
(© Stefan Austermühle / Mundo Azul)

The information material was distributed by our volunteers within the community of Pucusana and to governmental and other institutions as well as media in Lima. While distributing the material, our volunteers had the opportunity to deepen the effect of the information material by talking to local people and discussing the topic.

The awareness campaign was accompanied by intensive media work on a national and international level.

3.) Campaign "Let's protect the dolphins" (2003 - Ripley / Mundo Azul)

From left to right: Cornal Carlos Herrera Gonzales (Police Department for Ecological Crimes), Captain Javier Gaviolo Tejada (Direction of Coastguards), Felipe Bayly Letts (Ripley), Stefan Austermühle (Mundo Azul) (© Mundo Azul)

In 2003 Mundo Azul and the private company Ripley implemented a national awareness campaign for the conservation of dolphins. Captain Javier Gaviolo Tejada, Director for Environmental Issues of the Central Direction of Harbor Officials and Coast Guards from the Peruvian Marines and Mr. Carlos Herrera Gonzales, Chief of the Division for Ecological Crimes of the National Police of Peru participated in the initial press conference and announced the full and active support of their governmental institutions for the implementation of this campaign.

The campaign consisted of selling special T-shirts and the book "Inca Guide to the Beaches of Peru" in the shops of Ripley. Author of the Inca Guide to the beaches of Peru is
the Peruvian Nature photographer and biologist Walter Wust,
who is a member of Mundo Azul's Board of Directors.

Walter Wust, author of the book "Inca Guide to the Beaches of Peru" and member of Mundo Azul's Board of Directors. (© Mundo Azul)

A part of the income generated from the sales of the books were donated by Ripley to Mundo Azul's undercover investigation on the illegal market of dolphin meat and supported the police enforcement in several coastal cities.

"Most people thought the problem was resolved, when dolphins became protected by law in 1996", said Stefan Austermühle, Biologist and Executive Director of Mundo Azul, during the initial press conference: "The truth is, the problem still exists and seems to be getting worse." Field reports, photographic material and undercover investigations undertaken by Mundo Azul show clearly that the illegal trade with dolphin meat is not a rare and isolated event, but a widespread and common practice. This campaign aims to be an example for the possible cooperation on governmental
institutions, private companies, NGO´s and the society in general in
order to conserve Peru's natural wealth and to stop environmental
destruction executed by the hands of a few."

Nina Pardo de Austermühle, President of Mundo Azul and Stefan Austermühle, Executive Director of Mundo Azul (© Mundo Azul)

"This is the first time that Ripley supported in such a massive way, a campaign for the conservation of nature and we are doing it because we feel that this is a very important topic. Nevertheless, the full support of the government and the citizens in general is needed in order to fulfill our objectives," said Felipe Bayly Letts, Product manager of Ripley and concluded with the slogan of the campaign: "We protect the dolphins and respect nature. Do the same !"