Rio Dolphin Day on October 24 – National protection measures needed in Asia and South America – WWF calls for rapid help against mass deaths at Lake Tefé in the Amazon
Vienna/Bogotá (OTS) – After decades of dramatic declines in river dolphin populations around the world, there is hope for a change of direction on International River Dolphin Day: an alliance between Asian and South American governments, UN representatives and of NGOs led by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) today signed a new agreement for the international protection of river dolphins in Colombia. All six globally threatened mammal species and their fragile riverine habitats in the Amazon, Ayeyarwady, Ganges, Indus, Mahakam, Mekong, Orinoco and Yangtze, as well as the millions of people who depend on them, will be better protected through the agreement: “We hope this historic decision quickly ensures the national action needed to protect riverine dolphins. Not only do the dolphins themselves benefit from this, but also the ecosystems in which they live and on which many people depend”, says Axel Hein from WWF Austria. Because: River dolphins are an important indicator of river health – where healthy populations exist, the entire river landscape and all its inhabitants thrive. However, animals react very sensitively to negative environmental influences, as recently shown by dramatic images from the Amazon region: in Lake Tefé, a period of drought caused an increase in water temperature and the mass death of 153 dolphins.
Since the 1980s, river dolphin populations have declined by 73%. River dolphins are among the most threatened mammals today. “This is due to the climate crisis, water pollution with plastic waste or pollutants from agriculture and gold mines, bycatch from fishing and the obstruction of rivers through dams. We have to take quick countermeasures to protect the remaining animals and preserve their habitat”, demands Hein.
WWF has been working around the world for years to protect the remaining dolphins – for example, through scientific observations, in the fight against destructive dam projects or illegal fishing methods. Successes have already been achieved in Pakistan, where the number of endangered Indus dolphins has doubled in the last 20 years. A WWF project in Indonesia also gives hope: electronic warning devices are successfully used to prevent dolphins from being accidentally caught in gillnets in the Mahakam River. By 2030, WWF aims to double the number of river dolphin populations in Asia and South America. “Protecting river dolphins benefits a large number of species – especially humans. Because we too depend on healthy rivers and clean water”, says Axel Hein from WWF Austria.
Photos for download: https://wwf-bilder.px.media/share/16970283349Mfc4ylInad0Lp
Fact sheet on the agreement on river dolphins (in English): https://www.wwf.at/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Global-Declaration-for-River-Dolphins-Briefing-1.pdf
Link to Emergency fundraising for river dolphins in Lake Tefè: https://wwf.sicher-helfer.org/wwf/notfall-flussdelfine-spende/
Questions and contact:
Alexa Lutteri, WWF Austria spokesperson, +43 676 834 88 240, [email protected]