Safeguarding the future of the endangered Lahille's bottlenose dolphins in South America: a 5 yrs. Action Plan
Creators: name: Fruet, Pedro
name: Daura-Jorge, Fabio
name: Di Tullio, Juliana C.
name: Laporta, Paula
name: Coscarella, Mariano
name: Vermeulen, Els
name: Ott, Paulo H.
name: Genoves, Rodrigo C.
name: Moreno, Ignácio
name: Dalla Rosa, Lucinoa
name: Sucunza, Federico
name: Machado, Rodrigo
name: Sucunza, Martin
name: Bezamat, Carolina
name: Secchi, Eduardo R.
name: Castilho, Pedro V.
name: Barreto, André S.
name: Carrion, Mariana
name: Dias, Liane
name: Botta, Silvina
name: Flores, Paulo A.C.
name: Pretto, Dan Jacobs
name: Ferreira, Emanuel
name: Ilha, Elisa B.
name: Camargo, Yuri R.
name: Frainer, Guilherme
name: Arias, Magdalena
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023

description: Dolphins are among the most intelligent and endearing inhabitants of our oceans, captivating the hearts of people worldwide and connecting us to marine life. Unfortunately, many dolphin species face potential extinction due to human-induced threats such as habitat degradation, pollution, bycatch in fishing nets, climate change, and collisions with marine vessels. The global decline in their populations has raised great concern among marine conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts. This concern also relates to Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins, a coastal dolphin endemic to the Atlantic coast of South America and one of the few in the world that cooperate with fishers in the so called “Cooperative Fishing”. Recognizing the increasing challenges faced by these dolphins and their exceptionally small population size, in January 2023, the Yaqu Pacha Foundation for the Conservation of Aquatic Mammals commissioned a strategic action plan designed to identify research priorities and bolster conservation efforts aimed at preserving Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins. The plan's development entailed an exhaustive review of past recommendations stemming from reports of local, regional, and international workshops, projects, and international conservation forums. To further refine the strategy, experts on the species were consulted through specific meetings, focusing on distinct needs within each region. These efforts were organized under five strategic lines: (1) Scientific Research and Conservation, (2) Legislation and Policy, (3) Communication, Outreach and Awareness, (4) Institutional strengthening and Education and (5) Citizen Science. Based on these discussions, researchers developed a comprehensive list of projects aligned with each of the five strategic lines, considering factors such as cost-effectiveness, timelines, budgetary constraints, and potential stakeholder involvement. Ranking these projects was necessary, given the often-limited financial resources available for conservation efforts. The projects were then categorized with varying levels of priority, ranging from ‘very high’ to ‘low’, with a total of eight projects identified as 'high priority' out of the 26 deemed essential. By addressing the myriad of challenges Lahille's bottlenose dolphins face, enhancing international cooperation, and engaging key stakeholders, we are confident in our collective ability to safeguard this endangered dolphin species.