Since 1993 the Oceanic Society has conducted research on the river dolphins of the Peruvian Amazon. Twenty five hundred kilometers from the mouth of the Amazon two species of river dolphins, Buto (Inia geofrensis) and Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) inhabit the Peruvian Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Fortunately for the dolphins they are protected by both mythology and Peru's enlightened protection program. In other areas of their range, especially in Brazil where habitat degradation due to gold mining is a greater problem for the dolphins than in Pacaya Samiria, populations of both Bufeo and Tucuxi are threatened. Although Peru has few financial resources to protect these dolphins, the Pacaya Samiria river dolphins may represent the healthiest river dolphin populations in the world today. This situation may not continue as other factors, especially the value of mahogany, now threaten these dolphins.

Buto inhabit more diverse habitat than Tucuxi and genetic evidence indicates that they have inhabited the Amazonian basin for much longer. Tucuxi and Buto both are common in the large and smaller rivers of the area, but only Buto appear to enter the flooded forest during high water. Group size for both species is small and does not show large seasonal variations. Photo-id of these species is possible, but because of the highly turbid environment successful individual identification is much more difficult than for most other species.

This is the first program that we have had at ACS on these unique animals.

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