Drones have been used to save a number of species from extinction and the Amazon dolphins are the latest animals on the list. The number of dolphins on the Amazon River has been on a steady decline and scientists and conservationists have been unable to do anything about it, until the introduction of drones. Through the collection of real-time data that was missing before, the dolphin population is slowly being given an opportunity to thrive again.

Little is Known About These Dolphins

Deep in the remote town of Tefe in the Amazon basin, scientists at the Mamirauá Institute are working around the clock to save the dolphin which is found in the Amazon River. They have collaborated with WWF Brazil and together they are using drones to collect aerial footage of the world’s largest river.

Very little is known about the dolphins that reside in the Amazon. While some studies have pointed out that the number is declining steadily, not much else is known. There are two types of dolphins in the river. One is the pink boto and the other is the very beautiful tucuxi. The International Union for Conservation of Nature categorizes both of these species as data deficient. This has made it extremely difficult for conservationists to lobby for the protection of these species which they know very little about. Even the number of dolphins is difficult to estimate, with some putting it at 10,000 while others estimate that it could be as high as 100,000.

Drones to The Rescue

All this is hoping to be solved by the introduction of drones. Using the data collected from the aerial footage by the drones, the team of scientists is putting together crucial data that will bring the attention of conservation bodies, governments and the general public to the plight of the dolphins. The data collected is diverse and includes such critical information such the mortality of the dolphins as well as their reproduction habits.

Scientists hope that the drone monitoring will work and the results so far have been encouraging. On the three trips they conducted last year, they managed to collect 70 samples which will be analyzed further to reveal more about the dolphins. The scientists examine the video footage and count the dolphins recorded to get a better estimate of the overall population. This method takes less time, is much cheaper and more accurate than the manual counting they previously had to do while on their boats. The scientists at Tefe hope their findings will lead the IUCN to declare the dolphins as endangered or at least vulnerable which will help put in place laws to protect these dolphins and their habitat.

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