BRAZIL
Meeting the Shy Brazilian Dolphins
Having visited two areas of Brazil to see four species of dolphins, I just got an impression that they are all shy, shy and shy. All of them just can’t be approached by boat, no matter how slow and careful you are. The only way is to stop and wait on the boat.
A jumping Tucuxi
The Amazon – Amazon River Dolphin (or Boto) and Tucuxi
May 2024
This is a trip I had once booked before the pandemic. Seeing the Amazon River Dolphins is a dream comes true. Having joined the group in Manaus, the gateway to most Amazon cruises, we settled down in a hotel by the Rio Negro. The weather is as expected – hot and humid. In the afternoon, we went for bird watching. We managed to see a variety of birds including Plain Parakeet, Laughing Falcon, White-throated Kingbird, Black-collared Hawk, etc. While primates are a focus of the tour, my main interest is in dolphins and birds, so I’ll skip the primate part here.
Laughing Falcon
White-winged Parakeet
Two-toed Sloth
The next morning, we got up very early to reach the Canopy Tower before daybreak. Visiting the jungle in the early morning when it’s dark and viewing the Amazon forest on top of a tower is a very new experience for me. I could hear birds chirping and warbling in the dark. With the first daylight, we started seeing a lot of avian activities nearby. The mist clearing with the sunrise is like a picture in real life. We managed to see quite a lot of feathered friends and other wild animals.
White-throated Toucan
Black-tailed Trogon
Guianan Toucanet
We got on the river boat in the late morning. As mentioned earlier, the Amazon River Dolphins and the Tucuxis are impossible to approach by boat. Having got on the canoes for two days and missing the Tucuxis playing at the back of the river boat while we went out, I started to realize that the only way I could photograph or observe the dolphins well is to stay on the river boat while others go out on the canoes. My strategy worked when I got lucky, because I need the dolphins to pass by in order to see them. Other people who got on the canoes didn’t see many (or any) dolphins anyway as the tour’s main focus were primates and birds and they did not stop for the dolphins. So, my dolphin search had become a waiting game. Well, I did see quite a lot of birds around while waiting. This is my daily dolphin sighting records:
Date |
Number of individuals / observation point / activities |
|
Amazon River Dolphin |
Tucuxi |
|
16/5 |
5 (swim-with/feeding site) |
5 (canoeing / cruising) |
17/5 |
|
25 (cruising / from river boat) |
18/5 |
4 (from river boat) |
25 (cruising) |
19/5 |
|
24 (cruising / from river boat) |
20/5 |
|
17 (cruising / from river boat) |
21/5 |
2 (from river boat) |
1 (from river boat) |
22/5 |
Plenty (cruising) |
Plenty (crusing) |
23/5 |
8 (cruising) |
3 (from river boat) |
24/5 |
16 (from river boat, |
5 (from river boat) |
25/5 |
2 (cruising) |
3 (from river boat) |
26/5 |
1 (from river boat) |
1 (cruising) |
27/5 |
|
5 (cruising / from river boat) |
Amazon River Dolphin
Amazon River Dolphin
Tucuxi
Some unforgettable encounters
Gift from the Toucan – There is a sweet story behind this one. While cruising, everybody was looking at trees or the sky for birds and primates. For me, not a surprise that I would be watching out for dolphins all the time. In an afternoon, I saw some splashes on the water that is far away. I looked through my binoculars and saw a bird flapping. It didn’t feel quite right as I don’t think toucans can swim. I alerted a birder nearby and showed him the picture I took. Our tour leader asked the captain to stop the boat, and with assistance from the crew, we saved a toucan from drowning! The toucan fell into the water probably because he had eaten some fermented fruits, causing him to get drunk. Our tour leader wrapped the toucan with a towel and put him into a covered basket, let him dry in the cabin for a few hours before releasing him to the wild.
Toucan in water
Back to the wild
Soon after the release, a passenger spotted a dolphin nearby. I immediately turn my camera to that direction and an Amazon River Dolphin lunged with half of her body out of the water right in front of my camera! Two dolphins hang around for a while, but the boat moved on and we had to say goodbye to them.
A lunging Amazon River Dolphin
Tucuxis came to my comfort after spider attack – I won’t forget that morning as a palm-size spider had secretively climbed on me while I was at the top deck. Having survived this scary experience, I kept watching out for dolphins while others got on the canoe. After a long wait, and when some of the passengers were back, a large group of Tucuxis passed by our river boat and started to socialize nearby. I’ve taken a lot of photos showing the cute face of the Tucuxis. I think they showed up to give me comfort.
Tucuxi group socializing
Amazon River Dolphins approaching the boat – One day, the river boat stopped at a spot with Amazon River Dolphins around. They came and left, and showed up a bit further away. I had been watching them while others went out. After other passengers were back, lunch was served. I quickly finished my lunch and went back to the top deck to keep watching. Once we started the engine, two Amazon River Dolphins swam right towards us. That was what I had been hoping to see but that happened so suddenly that I only had one clear-enough shot.
Amazon River Dolphin approaching
As the Amazon spans a massive area and very little efforts had been spent on dolphin research, and the tour guides mainly focused on birds or primates, not much information is available on the distribution or preferred habitats of the two dolphin species. The place where dolphins are usually spotted is where the black and white waters meet. The reason behind this is that the turbidity variation of the two types of water confuses the fish, making them easy prey for the dolphins. Dolphins are also spotted while we were cruising, but the time allowed for photographing them was utterly short. We usually see them from afar, they dove when our boat pass by and showed up again at the back. Nevertheless, based on my observation, Amazon River Dolphins tend to prefer wider channels with deeper waters but they stay close to the river bank. They appear pinker in white waters. Tucuxis are more widespread and they can be found almost anywhere. They also stay close to the shore in wider channels. Both species shared the same habitat.
To conclude, almost all the encounters were very brief and the murky water had made photography extremely challenging – difficult to predict where the dolphins are and to get the camera in focus. But the trip is still worth it as seeing these two species is something I wanted to accomplish in my life.
Threats faced by Amazon River dolphins
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Unsustainable development, deforestation, and the construction of dams have led to the loss and fragmentation of their natural habitats. This disrupts their migratory routes and reduces their living spaces.
Pollution: The rivers are increasingly polluted, particularly by mercury from illegal gold mining activities. This contamination poisons the water and the dolphins’ food sources, leading to severe health issues.
Entanglement in Fishing Nets and Pouching: Dolphins often get caught in fishing nets, which can result in injury or death. Although traditionally respected and unharmed, there are instances where dolphins are hunted, posing a direct threat to their population.
Environmental Changes: Droughts and other environmental changes have exacerbated the challenges faced by these dolphins, leading to critical conditions in some areas. In 2024, more than 300 river dolphins were reported dead in two lagoons in Brazil. The water temperatures reached record highs, with some areas hitting 39°C. These conditions were lethal for the dolphins, leading to mass die-offs
These threats collectively contribute to the declining population of Amazon River dolphins, highlighting the need for comprehensive conservation efforts to protect these unique and important creatures.
Other animals encountered
Anteater
Black-necked Aracari
Cream-coloured Woodpecker
Dusky Parrot
Giant Otter
Green Iguana
Glittering-throated Emerald
White-eyed Parakeet
Some local kids got on board while others visit the village nearby.
Tour Company
Group tour by Wildwings.uk (https://wildwings.co.uk)
Points to note before you sign up
- The Amazon is an area with some risk of malaria. For more information, please check the website https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries before signing up for the Amazon.
- Only cold water is available from the shower. The weather is very hot and it usually heat up the water in the evening, but you may find the water too cold on rainy/cloudy days. Besides, the tap water is from the river and disinfected for use. As the river water contains tannin, tap water is brownish and is not potable.
- The paid wifi on board only works on the main and upper decks. If you cabin is down in the lower deck, there is no signal.
***************************************************************************
Southeast Coastal Area – Franciscana and Guiana Dolphin
May 2025
Franciscanas
Guiana Dolphins
Having done the Amazon trip and met the local guide Regina, I was delighted to learn about the possibility of seeing Franscicanas (or La Plata Dolphins, locally known as Toninhas) and Guiana Dolphins (Boto Cinzas), two species I thought I would never have the chance to see. I asked her to help organise a special tour to see them. Because the Franciscanas are “famous” for their cryptic behaviour and to prepare for the possibility of inclement weather, we had arranged 7 full days in Babitonga Bay to look for them. To date, this group is the only known year-round residents there, with a population of about 50 as estimated by local researchers. The place is also home for over 200 Guiana Dolphins.
Babitonga Bay
We set off from the hotel marina at São Francisco do Sul on a chartered boat to look for the dolphins. Both my wildlife guide Leo and the boat captain Cleo are knowledgeable about the area. Yet, how could we get a bit closer to these two species was a learning experience due to the shy nature of the dolphins here. The first species we encountered were the Guiana Dolphins, a species being split from Tucuxi of the Amazon in 2007. While it was not that possible to approach them by boat, this species can be quite acrobatic like normal dolphins. There were times we were surrounded by them. There was no sign of the Franciscana on the first day.
After a nail-biting search on the second morning, my wildlife guide spotted some very subtle movement of dorsal fins in the water. Were they the Franciscanas or just some shy Guiana Dolphins? Having stopped the boat engine and waited for quite some time, there came some beaks breaking the water surface with a creamy brown body. With this signature behaviour, no doubt they are the Franciscanas! Franciscanas are classified as river dolphins, but they are indeed marine dolphins living close to the shore or in estuaries. With adult size of 1.2 to 1.6 m and an extremely slender beak accounting for up to 12-15% of their body length, they are one of the smallest dolphins in the world. Due to their cryptic behaviour and pale colour, they are referred as “white ghost” by fishermen. After encountering them, I fully agree with such description but they are Casper to me.
In the following day under heavy mist and rain, we managed to see both species again. As a biologist, my wildlife guide made use of his professional knowledge to adjust our strategy in locating and “approaching” the dolphins. There were many times that the Franciscanas came just within a few metres from our boat. We can hear them breathe and had a good look at them. In the 6.5 days’ search, we had 6 sightings of Franciscanas. Each time, after hanging around sporadically for about 0.5 to 1 hours, they just vanished without a trace. To which direction had they gone, we had no clue at all. Nevertheless, without much help from local researchers, we still managed to figure out how to approach the utterly shy Franciscanas.
On our second last day which is a Sunday with good weather, I started to understand why these two dolphin species are so shy of boats. There were a lot of high-speed jet skiers and fisherman/fishing boats in the bay, and this place is much busier with human activities in summer as this is a popular location for holiday-goers. The area where the Franciscanas were spotted was extremely busy. The Babitonga Bay is not a very big bay, and if I were a dolphin living in an environment with such busy traffic, I would have behaved the same way too. It would indeed help the dolphins a lot if the local government set up some dolphin conservation zones to limit the speed of boats and jet-skiers.
Apart from dolphins, Babitonga Bay is indeed teeming with birdlife. I was particularly impressed by how stunning the Scarlet Ibises are. On windy days, my wildlife guide who is also a keen birder, showed me a variety of birds in the area. The estuary, the mud flats and the forest nearby offer very good birding opportunities.
Scarlet Ibis
Frigate Bird
Great Black Hawk
It seems that eco-tours are currently not available in the bay for people to see wild animals, nor is there any education centre on local dolphins or other wildlife. Responsible eco-tourism can indeed help raise the awareness of people and inspire them to appreciate and protect the beautiful wildlife, while providing year-round job opportunities for the locals. São Francisco do Sul is a town with over 300 years of history, and cultural elements can be added to the eco-tours for a more dynamic itinerary.
Cathedral over 300 years old
Brazilan pastel
Paranagua Bay
After bidding farewell to the dolphins at Babitonga Bay, we headed north to Paranagua Bay, where we stayed at Pontal do Sul for 5 nights. The main purpose here was to see the Guiana Dolphins as the population here is much larger than that of Babitonga Bay. As there are reports of Franciscana sightings here, our boat captain helped us contact local fishermen and researchers for information.
On our first day, not a surprise, our captain spotted the Guiana Dolphins after about 0.5 hours’ drive. Probably due to larger population, the Guiana Dolphins were a bit less shy. Our captain also showed us a very intriguing feeding behaviour of the Guiana Dolphins. Some of them were feeding off the container terminal next to container ships. We saw them chasing and banging mullets onto the ship, ignoring the noise from the ship machinery. This is something I had never seen.
Another way to view dolphins here was from land. With no boats nearby, they could be more relax and be themselves. I had seen dolphins feeding close to the sandy beach, jumping and chasing fish. We had lunch at the small local restaurant at the jetty, while dolphins were enjoying their lunch out there. This is indeed a paradise for dolphin lovers. Basically, we saw plenty of Guiana Dolphins every day, only with half day’s trip cancelled due to gusty wind from the cold front.
We had also tried to find Franciscanas in a few areas they had been sighted by fishermen or our boat captain. As the bay was a few times larger than Babitonga Bay and we had not been lucky with the wind condition and sea state, we did not manage to see them here.
A special highlight worth mentioning is the Red-tailed Parrot, which is endemic to a small coastal area in Southern Brazil. Due to trafficking as pets, these parrots had undergone drastic decline in the past. They mate for life and are often seen flying in pairs. They usually gather around sunset on large trees before disappearing into the forest.
The composition of large river systems, mudflats, forests, estuarine systems, etc. of Pararangua Bay offers a diverse habitat for wildlife. We took the chance to explore nearby forest and coastal area for birds.
After this exploration tour, I feel so lucky to have a local biologist as my wildlife guide. This is particularly important if the animals you are looking for is hard to observe in the wild. While we had not received much help from researchers at Babitonga Bay, my wildlife guide had made used of his knowledge in the area to improvise and maximize the chances to see the cryptic animals I was looking for. This learning process is an experience I’ll never forget. At the same time, good boat captains are also very important. Both captains had been very gentle and patient with the dolphins and they know the area so well that we often could have some up to date “insider” information about the animals we were looking for.
Tour Company:
Tailor-made tour by Regina Ribeiro and local tour company Boute Expedition (https://boute-expeditions.com)
Flights from Hong Kong:
Via Middle East and change to domestic airlines – probably the most economical and convenient option from Asia
(Points to note: changing international flights in some countries will require you to go through their immigration and security check again.)
Please