YAQU PACHA is pleased to have co-funded, together with the Fundación Azara and the Universidad Maimónides, a new research vessel for the project to protect Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins, led by Dr. Magdalena Arias. For the past four weeks, the boat has been in operation in San Antonio Oeste (Argentina)—one of the most important hotspots for this critically endangered dolphin species. The extended time at sea allows for more frequent surveys and a significantly improved data set.
But why is this so important?
Worldwide, there are now only about 600 Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops gephyreus) remaining across their entire range, making them one of the most endangered small cetaceans in the South Atlantic.
In Argentina alone, the population is estimated at only about 180 animals.
What does the project do on the ground?
As part of the international Gephyreus project , the work goes far beyond mere monitoring.
• Field research and monitoring include boat-based surveys, photo-identification based on dorsal fins, population estimates, survival rates, and analyses of migration patterns.
• Reducing human threats: Investigating interactions with fisheries and supporting risk mitigation measures.
• Mapping key habitats: Identification of key feeding, resting, and breeding areas as a basis for conservation measures.
• Engagement of the local population: Collaboration with fishermen, citizen science programs, and public awareness campaigns.
• International coordination: Networking among Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay within the framework of a One Plan Approach and the International Whaling Commission’s conservation program.
This is not merely a local study—it is a central component of a trilateral conservation strategy that integrates scientific research, concrete conservation measures, and community engagement.
Every additional day at sea brings us one step closer to better understanding this unique and fragile population of Tursiops gephyreus —and to effectively protecting it.
The work of YAQU PACHA and the research vessel is generously supported by partners such as Zoomarine Algarve, Nuremberg Zoo, Duisburg Zoo, Heidelberg Zoo, Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park, and Planète Sauvage.
