Conservation planning is vital to the protection of river dolphins, and is most effective when it occurs at multiple levels and involves a wide range of stakeholders. At the most grass-roots level, conservation planning can involve community managed conservation measures or conservation areas. Involvement of local communities, particularly vulnerable groups, and indigenous people, whose livelihoods and food security are tied to the same resources upon which the dolphins rely, is critical to conservation success. Without the participation and buy-in of local stakeholders, conservation laws or regulations are likely to be ignored, or lead to conflict over resources and livelihoods.
It is often difficult to rely on voluntary measures or an individual’s good will to curb practices that pose a threat to river dolphins. Some measure of regulation is needed to ensure that stakeholders adopt best practices to reduce threats to river dolphins and their habitats. Effective conservation planning and implementation of (legally enforceable) policies can take place at the national level with the careful drafting and implementation of National Species Action Plans. The best practice here outlines ways in which stakeholders, including scientists, NGOs, and government agencies, have collaborated to develop plans in various river dolphin ranges.
An important component of conservation planning is One Health; an integrated approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals, and ecosystems, as these are closely linked and interdependent. Natural cycles of disease are an integral part of ecosystems, with infectious organisms serving an important role in the population dynamics of animals and plants. However, threats such as climate change, land-use change, invasive species, wildlife trade, and rising agricultural, industrial, and human population pressures can act as drivers for disease emergence and reemergence occurring beyond natural cycles, with negative impacts on the health of animals, the environment, and people. Organisations such as SARDI and WWF apply a “One Health” approach to connect the well-being of river dolphins, local communities, and freshwater ecosystems. Considerations for river dolphins include:
- Indicator Species: River dolphins act as living indicators for freshwater health; a stable dolphin population means a clean, connected, and functioning river system.
- Health and Veterinary Assessments: Performing clinical examinations, blood tests, and ultrasound tracking on the dolphins to monitor diseases, stress, and environmental toxins like mercury.
- Tracking Antimicrobial Resistance: Monitoring how the dolphins carry resistant bacteria, highlighting risks shared between human sewage runoff, industrial pollution, and local wildlife health.
- Ecosystem Threats: Tracking broad hazards—such as hydroelectric dams, climate change, forest fire smoke, and overfishing—that simultaneously threaten human water supplies, local livelihoods, and river dolphin survival.
An example of the One Health approach being implemented in Colombia can be found here.
Because many river dolphin species cross borders, and because expertise is most effective when it is shared, national efforts can also be supported by regional or international conservation planning initiatives. These can involve scientists and NGOs, who collaborate on a particular species or river basin, or intergovernmental organisations that share expertise and recommendations for best practice.
