On January 3, 2025, a newborn Franciscana dolphin calf was found stranded on a beach in Florianópolis, Brazil, and was named Francisca. It was alone, dehydrated, and severely weakened. Without immediate help, it would have had no chance of survival.
Franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) are among the most endangered dolphin species in South America. Dolphin calves like Francisca are completely dependent on their mothers during the first few months of life. When a calf like Francisca is found alone, it usually means certain death—but this time, things turned out differently.
Francisca was immediately taken into the care of our project partner , R3 Animal. There, a complex rescue process began: During the first few weeks, the dolphin calf was fed special milk, monitored around the clock, and given medical care. Francisca was weak, but she fought—and she won.
Seven months later, it is clear just how successful the rescue was: Francisca actively swims in a large pool, now eats fish on her own, and is playful, alert, and very curious. The Franciscana dolphin calf has developed well physically but still requires care, so release into the wild is not currently possible.
Today, Francisca is a symbol and ambassador for her endangered dolphin species and an example of how dedicated conservation efforts save lives.
R3 Animal ensures their care and long-term survival. YAQU PACHA supports R3 Animal in this effort and has been working to protect endangered marine mammals for over 30 years.
Let’s give Francisca a future! Please support Francisca and the rescue and rehabilitation efforts for all other stranded Franciscana dolphins with your donation.
You are currently viewing placeholder content from Default. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will result in data being shared with third-party providers.