In 1832, French naturalist Alcides D'Orbigny, in a visit to Bolivia, described the Bolivian dolphin in the following manner: “I also saw many dolphins, of the only species that lives in rivers the year around and is pink or dappled in color. To me, it is surprising to find these animals more than 800 leagues from the sea, when known species do not leave the ocean or, at best, only venture a few leagues from the mouth of rivers. The Spanish call this very common animal in Moxos, the bufeo”, baptized by the same D’Orbigny as Inia boliviensis, this water mammal was always the focus of much interest.

Botos, as these cetacean mammals of the Amazon are called in Brazil, are among the most endangered species in the world and usually live in developing countries of Asia and South America, where human activities threaten their survival. Guided captures for bait, negative interactions with fishing, hunting and poisoning by fishermen, mercury and hydrocarbon pollution in rivers and fragmentation of its habitat due to the construction of dams are the main threats this species has to live with.

They are also considered an important indication of the quality of the aquatic ecosystems in which they live. In this manner, they are essential subjects for scientific studies, since they help in the evaluation of the impact of threats such as pollution by oil and mercury and the building of infrastructures such as dams and waterways in the basin.

With these threats in mind, a program was devised to know the state of conservation of river dolphins through an estimate of the abundance of the species in South America. Therefore, since 2007, expeditions were launched that crossed more than 7,000 kilometers of rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, through Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Through these research trips, it was possible to identify the most important threats for this species, and create a network of important work between organizations and researchers. Aside from this, it was also possible to implement a global communication strategy, which confirmed a much celebrated result that the species was in fact endemic.

Characteristics of the Bolivian dolphin



Paul van Damme is the director of the Faunagua Association, a Bolivian institution that heads the investigation around dolphins, promoting participative studies in the Bolivian Amazon. For van Damme, according to results achieved throughout the years, and in different expeditions, one can conclude that the Bolivian river dolphin is the largest of all dolphins; males may reach up to 2.55 meters in length and weigh between 160 and 180 kilos, while females reach 2.16 meters and weigh about 100 kilos. This dolphin was seen alone, although larger groups of up to 19 individuals were also spotted that can contain several males grouped for hunting, or even females and their offspring.

Gestation period is estimated to be around 10 to 11 months, and after this period the result will usually be the birth of a single baby dolphin which will be weaned between the ninth and tenth month. Females with their offspring can be seen throughout the year, a fact that suggests that reproduction occurs in both seasons: when the water is high, and low as well.

The Bolivian dolphin Inia boliviensis shares many an anatomical similarity with the Inia geoffrensis species. Differently from the Sotalia variety, which are dolphins that live in marine environments and continental waters, the species of the Inia kind live exclusively in fresh water, and for this reason they feature some adaptations for the environment in which they live. Manuel Ruiz García, a Spanish biologist and dolphin researcher in South America, explains that some of the notable features of the Inia boliviensis are the average size of its population, which is slightly less than those of the pink dolphin that inhabits Peru and Brazil. Another difference is color, since the Bolivian dolphin is lighter, which for some researches is due to a difference in temperature, water transparency, physical activity and where the individuals are located. “It is a darker shade of gray that marks populations from other localities. These animals are shorter in length, but certain parts of the body such as the neck or breast are thicker”, says Ruiz García, while completing that: “These Bolivian dolphins have more teeth, and it seems that their cranial capacity is smaller than those of other river dolphins.”

In Bolivia, this dolphin, which is endemic to the country, is distributed along the rivers of the Amazon basin, in the departments of Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Beni and Pando.

Within its area of distribution, the Bolivian dolphin has to face several direct and indirect threats, which led to the devising of concrete actions on a national level to favor the conservation of the species. Thus began the conservation program of the Inia boliviensis in the Bolivian Amazon, which contains a set of guidelines to protect this important endemic species of Bolivia, headed by the Faunagua Association, in partnership with the Omacha Foundation, WCS, WWF, CI, PUMA Foundation, telefônica VIVA, Rufford Small Grants (RSG) and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS).

A Conservation Strategy for South American River Dolphins



Hinged on the experience of the previous study to determine the state of conservation of river dolphins in South America, the perfect atmosphere was created to conceive a continental plan for the conservation of river dolphins, said Fernando Trujillo, scientific director of the Omacha Foundation. In this manner, the plan began in 2008, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, after a meeting involving 50 people from 11 countries, including government representatives, researchers and from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

“It took us two years to get a plan ready, reflecting the situations and needs of all countries, identifying the most urgent actions to ensure the survival of these species in South America”, says Trujillo. Among these measures, one can highlight the need to evaluate and mitigate the impact of fishing, to stop the guided capture of these cetaceans and evaluate the consequences of the construction of dams and hydroelectric power plants within aquatic ecosystems.

The South American plan also highlights the need to generate economic alternatives for local communities to program conservation strategies that can be efficient and walk hand-in-hand with the protection of Mother Earth. “We point out tourism activities around dolphins, a practice that already exists in Colombia, such as watching the species in its natural habitat, a practice that encourages the participation of fishermen and communities of indigenous people”, says researcher Trujillo.

Saulo Usma, an employee of the WWF is another adept of dolphins, and he explains that the South American strategy proposes an action plan for each country addressing the circumstances of each nation. Currently, there already are current plans for Colombia and Bolivia, supported by the government in each country, a vital support for its execution, demonstrating the interest and acknowledgement of the importance of this species for national governments.

“Dolphins are being seriously threatened and in danger of extinction in other continents. However, South America and especially Bolivia, still conserve their river dolphin populations in a relatively good state”, stated Fernando Trujillo. “We still have time to take the necessary measures to avoid that our dolphins suffer the same destiny of their Asiatic counterparts”. And he leaves us a warning for all involved: “It is urgent to understand the impact of dams and hydroelectric power plants on the Madeira River on the population of Inia boliviensis.”

Interesting facts about dolphins in South America

Dolphin Species 3 Inia geoffrensis, Sotalia fluviatilis, Inia boliviensis Countries with a greater abundance of dolphins   Peru, Bolivia (density above 4 dolphins / km 2) Number of counting expeditions 11 Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia Number of kilometers traveled 6987 km Orinoco, Meta, Cuyabeno, Napo, Aguarico, Ucayali, Samiria, Amazonas, Javari, Iténez and Mamoré Rivers Researchers 76 Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, England, Sweden, Argentina, United States, Canada Threats   Guided capture of at least 1,600 dolphins per year in Brazil, poisoning of dolphins by fishermen (an average of 50 in Peru), and dams Dams in Brazil 8 Another 45 are foreseen to be built on tributaries of the Amazon river Benefits of river dolphin observation tourism in the Colombian Amazon US$ 8.3 million dollars / year Represented by tickets, hotel lodging, river transportation and services

Giovanny Vera  is a comunicator who loves nature, photography and travelling. This love has started during his work with protected areas, national parks and sustainable development institutions. Currently he works in the Bolivian Pantanal.