Ecuador equips rangers and communities to save river dolphins from droughts
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The Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment and Energy and WWF-Ecuador launched a strategy to protect river dolphins from extreme droughts in the Amazon region.
This initiative provides park rangers, state technicians, and local communities in Cuyabeno and Yasuní with the training and basic equipment needed to respond to stranded animals and mortality events. The program follows research showing that the Ecuadorian population of river dolphins is the smallest in the entire Amazon basin.
Because these mammals are vital indicators of aquatic health and hold deep cultural value for indigenous peoples, their survival is a priority for conservationists. Experts warned that shrinking water levels in refuges like Lagartococha and Yasuní increase the risk of dolphins becoming trapped in isolated areas. The strategy uses lessons from a 2023 drought in Brazil, where low water levels in the Tefé and Coarí regions caused the deaths of approximately 275 river dolphins.
Authorities are now establishing protocols to improve coordination between scientists and local inhabitants. These actions aim to prepare for upcoming dry seasons and the potential impacts of El Niño, which may influence the region until 2027.
