Our partners from PROYECTO SOTALIA, led by Yurasi Briceño, and Fundación OMACHA, led by our colleague Fernando Trujillo, are currently on the Río Casiquiare in Venezuela to survey the Inia population(Inia geoffrensis) and determine their numbers using river transects. This is the first time that an expedition to study Inias has been carried out in this river. So far, nothing is known about the population size and distribution of Inias in this river system. The data is important to determine the threat status of the Inias in Venezuela and to develop appropriate measures to protect this dolphin species.
The Río Casiquiare connects the two great basins of South America, the Orinoco and the Amazon. This first expedition is a joint effort with Colombian colleagues in collaboration with governmental and academic institutions. Data will be collected on the size of the population, as well as the movement patterns and health status of Inia geoffrensis. The Río Casiquiare is one of the most pristine, biodiverse and least studied places in the Venezuelan Amazon and any contribution to knowledge about this area is valuable.
