Last year, we launched PROYECTO SOTALIA, a project designed to track the distribution of river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) in Venezuela using satellite transmitters. The goal of the project is to gather information about the animals’ movements and identify priority areas for this species in order to develop concrete conservation measures.
As a result of climate change, periods of heavy rain and drought have led to an increase in river dolphin strandings. For this reason, we began this year to train local stakeholders and staff from environmental agencies (capacity building) so that they can respond effectively to these events and reduce mortality among this endangered species.
We were able to hold a training workshop at the El Hato El Cedral facility in Apure State. In this region of the Venezuelan lowlands, there are increasing reports of strandings during the summer season. The event therefore provided an opportunity to share experiences and provide appropriate tools for responding to these situations, which may become more frequent due to climate change.
Report PDF: YaquPacha_Report_HatoCedral_May2024