DOLPHIN CONSERVATION

Help us Protect the dolphins of the Gulf OF Tribugá

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The Gulf of Tribugá (Colombia) is among the most biodiverse regions of this planet and has recently been designated a “hope spot”. Dolphin populations of the area are virtually understudied at the moment but already appear to be threatened by human activities.

Several species of dolphins have been seen to visit or inhabit the area. They include:

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Common dolphin (Dermochelys coriacea)
Pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata)

We must act now to preserve these iconic species and their habitats, as:

they are currently facing many threats, including plastic pollution, stress from vessel noise, unregulated whale watching activities, climate change, ghost nets, and bycatch
Almost no data exists on small cetaceans in the Gulf of Tribugá, which is needed to establish effective conservation measures

The Whale and Dolphin Community Project (WDCP) is funded by: Hering Stiftung Natur und Mensch.

OUR CONSERVATION WORK

R&E combines research, education, community engagement, and conservation efforts to preserve the dolphins of Tribugá.

sea turtles of colombia (8).png — Research

We are monitoring dolphins in the Gulf of Tribugá:
- to identify the dolphin species that visit or even inhabit the area
- to determine the occurrence, frequency, behavior and habitat use of dolphins
- to determine if dolphins use the Gulf of Tribugá as a reproductive area (like e.g. the humpback whales and hammerhead sharks)
- to determine the most pressing threats to the local populations

Education

We are developing an educational program for children and adults to:
- teach about the importance of dolphins for the marine ecosystem
- promote ecotourism as an alternative source of income
- involve the local community and tourists in dolphin conservation

sea turtles of colombia (2).png — Community

The local communities are our greatest allies and we will work with them by:
- teaching and hiring local fishermen to carry out the dolphin surveys at sea (as part of our community science project)
- equipping local fishermen with a GPS so that they can record any encounter with dolphins while they are out fishing
- hiring local fishermen who can spot and remove ghost nets close to the shore
- organizing beach clean-ups with tourists and locals

sea turtles of colombia (4).png — Conservation

Our Research, Education, and Community engagement efforts ultimately aim to:
- Reduce the main threats to dolphins
- Preserve key habitats
- Protect the dolphin populations of the Tribuga’s Gulf

Ways, in which you can help the dolphins

Your donation is highly appreciated! You can donate here. Alternatively you can also adopt a dolphin.

Join our team and help us protect the dolphins of the Gulf of Tribugá. Find out more here

Avoid using plastic in your everyday life, especially single-use plastic, and prevent it from

ever reaching our oceans and harming the dolphins and other marine wildlife.

The dolphins of the Gulf of Tribugá are extremely grateful for your help!

Thank you!

We want to thank everyone, who sponsored the first trip in March 2021. We were able to see four different dolphin species and over 300 individuals. Here are some photos for you!