Presentation Title: River dolphins globally represent a highly at risk group of mammals. Most river dolphin species inhabit the world’s large rivers, which are also highly populated and heavily utilized. The focus of my research was on the two species of freshwater dolphins that inhabit the Amazon River, the boto (Inia geoffrensis) and the tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis). Currently both species are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as ‘Data Defficient’, which means there is currently not enough information known about them to accurately assess whether or not they are endangered. Major gaps in research of these two species currently exist in many basic biological and ecological parameters. The focus of this research was to compare existing data on group size and habitat preference as well as determine the behavioral ecology of the two species of river dolphins. The research was conducted in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru, which has a relatively high density of river dolphins. The reserve consists of many small tributaries, which are relatively understudied and so the conclusions drawn from this research will help guide future research and management decisions in other regions of the Amazon.
Posterior Respiratory Apparatus of Inia geoffrensis and Sotalia fluviatilis: Structure and Ultrastructure
