River dolphins (and Amazonian manatees) in Peru will benefit from new protection after researchers from the university’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall worked with Peruvian officials for more than two years to develop a new protection law. Neighbouring countries like Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador already had legislation in place but Peru did not. The dolphins face threats from climate change, fishing and loss of habitat due to dams, pollution, noise and boat traffic.
The new law called the National Action Plan for the Conservation of River Dolphins and the Amazonian Manatee has been approved by Peru’s Ministry of Production and although a long process, it shows how government agencies can work with non-governmental academics, private companies and others to protect biodiversity.
