Amazon Dolphins | National Geographic

dolphins are some of the oceans most

dolphins are some of the oceans most iconic creatures but that’s not the only

iconic creatures but that’s not the only

iconic creatures but that’s not the only place where these graceful mammals live

less famous than their ocean

less famous than their ocean counterparts river dolphins inhabit some

counterparts river dolphins inhabit some

counterparts river dolphins inhabit some of the world’s mightiest rivers

of the world’s mightiest rivers

of the world’s mightiest rivers including the Ganges the Mekong the

including the Ganges the Mekong the

including the Ganges the Mekong the Yangtze and the Amazon

unfortunately the pressures of boat

unfortunately the pressures of boat traffic dam building fishing and

traffic dam building fishing and

traffic dam building fishing and pollution have taken their toll on many

pollution have taken their toll on many

pollution have taken their toll on many of these freshwater dolphin populations

of these freshwater dolphin populations

of these freshwater dolphin populations most river dolphins are endangered and

most river dolphins are endangered and

most river dolphins are endangered and in 2006 China’s Yangtze River Dolphin

in 2006 China’s Yangtze River Dolphin

in 2006 China’s Yangtze River Dolphin was declared functionally extinct in the

was declared functionally extinct in the

was declared functionally extinct in the wild but in one part of the world there

wild but in one part of the world there

wild but in one part of the world there is a glimmer of hope for river dolphins

is a glimmer of hope for river dolphins

is a glimmer of hope for river dolphins the Amazon here in the Amazon you can

the Amazon here in the Amazon you can

the Amazon here in the Amazon you can find two different species of dolphins

find two different species of dolphins

find two different species of dolphins one is the Amazon River dolphins and the

one is the Amazon River dolphins and the

one is the Amazon River dolphins and the other dove in the satalia is one of the

other dove in the satalia is one of the

other dove in the satalia is one of the smallest dolphin in the world colombian

smallest dolphin in the world colombian

smallest dolphin in the world colombian biologists Fernando Trujillo is one of

biologists Fernando Trujillo is one of

biologists Fernando Trujillo is one of the world’s foremost river dolphin

the world’s foremost river dolphin

the world’s foremost river dolphin experts for years I have been working

experts for years I have been working

experts for years I have been working with a river dolphins almost 20 years

with a river dolphins almost 20 years

with a river dolphins almost 20 years but so far we don’t know the numbers and

but so far we don’t know the numbers and

but so far we don’t know the numbers and we are talking with governments to say

we are talking with governments to say

we are talking with governments to say you need to protect the river dolphins

you need to protect the river dolphins

you need to protect the river dolphins and they always ask how many dolphins

and they always ask how many dolphins

and they always ask how many dolphins have

have

have now with the support of World Wildlife

now with the support of World Wildlife

now with the support of World Wildlife Fund and other conservation

Fund and other conservation

Fund and other conservation organizations Fernando is searching for

organizations Fernando is searching for

organizations Fernando is searching for an answer to that question embarking on

an answer to that question embarking on

an answer to that question embarking on the first ever census South America’s

the first ever census South America’s

the first ever census South America’s River Dolphin population so far we have

River Dolphin population so far we have

River Dolphin population so far we have count dolphins in the river Orinoco in

count dolphins in the river Orinoco in

count dolphins in the river Orinoco in Venezuela in the river Mehta in Colombia

Venezuela in the river Mehta in Colombia

Venezuela in the river Mehta in Colombia and in number of tributaries of the

and in number of tributaries of the

and in number of tributaries of the Amazon in Peru and Ecuador the numbers

Amazon in Peru and Ecuador the numbers

Amazon in Peru and Ecuador the numbers from some areas aren’t encouraging like

from some areas aren’t encouraging like

from some areas aren’t encouraging like in Venezuela’s Orinoco River I’m a

in Venezuela’s Orinoco River I’m a

in Venezuela’s Orinoco River I’m a little concerned with their in Oakland

little concerned with their in Oakland

little concerned with their in Oakland because the numbers of dolphin we have

because the numbers of dolphin we have

because the numbers of dolphin we have found in their inoko are relatively low

found in their inoko are relatively low

found in their inoko are relatively low comparing with the Amazon where in some

comparing with the Amazon where in some

comparing with the Amazon where in some countries like Peru we found a very

countries like Peru we found a very

countries like Peru we found a very healthy populations of river dolphins

healthy populations of river dolphins

healthy populations of river dolphins with numbers above 2000 animals for each

with numbers above 2000 animals for each

with numbers above 2000 animals for each species but in the Orinoco we have found

species but in the Orinoco we have found

species but in the Orinoco we have found something like thousand animals and we

something like thousand animals and we

something like thousand animals and we are very concerned he and his team are

are very concerned he and his team are

are very concerned he and his team are slowly and systematically working their

slowly and systematically working their

slowly and systematically working their way through the Dolphins range and

way through the Dolphins range and

way through the Dolphins range and Counting every dolphin they see for each

Counting every dolphin they see for each

Counting every dolphin they see for each sighting researchers use GPS data to log

sighting researchers use GPS data to log

sighting researchers use GPS data to log the Dolphins location and any other

the Dolphins location and any other

the Dolphins location and any other useful information

useful information

useful information along the way signs of yet another

along the way signs of yet another

along the way signs of yet another threat to the river dolphins logging

threat to the river dolphins logging

threat to the river dolphins logging they bring the loves here the wood and

they bring the loves here the wood and

they bring the loves here the wood and they could in pieces and sent to Iquitos

they could in pieces and sent to Iquitos

they could in pieces and sent to Iquitos another big cities

another big cities

another big cities besides logging accidental capture and

besides logging accidental capture and

besides logging accidental capture and killing by fishermen and pollution are

killing by fishermen and pollution are

killing by fishermen and pollution are also putting the squeeze on South

also putting the squeeze on South

also putting the squeeze on South America’s dolphins but despite these

America’s dolphins but despite these

America’s dolphins but despite these threats the team continues to spot

threats the team continues to spot

threats the team continues to spot dolphin

dolphin

dolphin after dolphin after dolphin at one known

after dolphin after dolphin at one known

after dolphin after dolphin at one known dolphin hangout Fernando pauses to

dolphin hangout Fernando pauses to

dolphin hangout Fernando pauses to photograph the animals so he can

photograph the animals so he can

photograph the animals so he can identify them later

identify them later

identify them later he hopes to spots unfamiliar flippers we

he hopes to spots unfamiliar flippers we

he hopes to spots unfamiliar flippers we have a catalogue with about 176

have a catalogue with about 176

have a catalogue with about 176 identified animals here each time we try

identified animals here each time we try

identified animals here each time we try to take pictures and see the natural

to take pictures and see the natural

to take pictures and see the natural history of each one of these animals

back on the big boat the results for

back on the big boat the results for this stretch of the Amazon are promising

this stretch of the Amazon are promising

this stretch of the Amazon are promising I’m quite happy so far we have seen more

I’m quite happy so far we have seen more

I’m quite happy so far we have seen more than 600 dolphins in a relatively small

than 600 dolphins in a relatively small

than 600 dolphins in a relatively small area about 200 of 3 300 kilometers so I

area about 200 of 3 300 kilometers so I

area about 200 of 3 300 kilometers so I can see the densities of dolphins are in

can see the densities of dolphins are in

can see the densities of dolphins are in good conditions here as part of his

good conditions here as part of his

good conditions here as part of his mission

mission

mission Fernando works to educate the people who

Fernando works to educate the people who

Fernando works to educate the people who live along the rivers about the

live along the rivers about the

live along the rivers about the importance of caring for the dolphins in

importance of caring for the dolphins in

importance of caring for the dolphins in their habitat favorite dolphins are

their habitat favorite dolphins are

their habitat favorite dolphins are disappearing so we can stop this process

disappearing so we can stop this process

disappearing so we can stop this process but we need to be very creative and we

but we need to be very creative and we

but we need to be very creative and we need to work with fishermen we need to

need to work with fishermen we need to

need to work with fishermen we need to work with the government we need to work

work with the government we need to work

work with the government we need to work with children need to work together for

with children need to work together for

with children need to work together for this it’s a long road but a promising

this it’s a long road but a promising

this it’s a long road but a promising one with dedicated scientists like

one with dedicated scientists like

one with dedicated scientists like Fernando on their side the river

Fernando on their side the river

Fernando on their side the river dolphins of the Amazon stand a fighting

dolphins of the Amazon stand a fighting

dolphins of the Amazon stand a fighting chance for survival

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