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 from river transects. This is the first time that an expedition to study Inias has been conducted in this river. To date, nothing is known about the population size and distribution of Inias in this river system. The data are important to determine the threat status of 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 government and academic institutions. Data will be collected on population size, as well as movement patterns and health status of Inia geoffrensis. The Río Casiquiare is one of the most pristine, species-rich, and least studied places in the Venezuelan Amazon, and any contribution to knowledge about this area is valuable.
