Mundo Azul

There are two species of dolphins in the Peruvian Amazon dolphins, the Amazon river dolphin or boto (Inia geoffrensis) and the Sotalia or Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis).

The Amazon River dolphin or boto is the largest river dolphin, weighing up to 180 kg (400 lb) with a length up to 2.6 m (8.5'). Most adult botos are pink, although some have a darker back or are partially gray.

The appearance of the tucuxi resembles that of a smaller bottlenose dolphin. The tucuxi is light grey to bluish-grey, on the back and pinkish to light grey on the belly, with a distinct boundary between the mouth gape and the flipper's leading edge. On the sides, there is a lighter area between the flippers and the dorsal fin.

The dorsal fin is triangular and may be slightly hooked at the tip. The beak is moderately slender and long. Body size reaches 152 cm in riverine species.

Both species are vulnerable to human-induced habitat changes and suffer some incidental mortality in fisheries. Other threats are: hydroelectric development; deforestation; and pollution from agriculture, industry and mining. In Peru there are several reports of botos being poisoned by fishermen in and near the Pacaya Samiria Reserve, who see them as competitors for fish. Another probably important problem for the botos and tucuxis survival is the increasing overfishing of rainforest rivers. Consecuently the river dolphin population is most dense where little fishing occurs (inside the Pacaya Samiria Reserve) and much lower in rivers which are heavily fished (outside the reserve).

What Mundo Azul does in order to protect the Amazon River Dolphins.

There are no current population estimates for the Amazon River dolphins in Peru. The latest counts in some rivers within the protected area are from the mid-nineties and might not be valid anymore. Therefore Mundo Azul is in process of launching a long term population study of Amazon River dolphins and Tucuxis. We will be using photo-identification and transect counts. Only if we know the actual population and their trends in different rivers we can design specific conservation strategies and initiate programs with the local people. The study will be volunteer-based.

Read more about the Amazon river dolphin