Opportunistic Development and Environmental Disaster Threat Franciscana Dolphins in the Southeast of Brazil

Abstract

The Franciscana dolphin ( Pontoporia blainvillei), a small cetacean endemic to southwestern Atlantic coastal waters, is the most endangered marine mammal species in the south Atlantic. In the Espírito Santo State, in southeastern Brazil, the Franciscana dolphin distribution overlaps regions suppressed and threatened by an intensive industrial and port development in the coastal zone. Moreover, most of Franciscana’s home range was recently impacted by the collapse of a dam that released millions of iron mining waste into the Atlantic Ocean. Considering the restricted coastal habitat of the species, these impacts can be considered an immediate threat, increasing the probability of local extinction of the species. This research calls attention to the necessity for improvement in the regional Environmental Impact Assessments, Conservation Action Plans, and to the development of an effective zoning for ports and conservation areas in the region. These actions could increase conservation efforts and mitigate the current and expected impacts on the Franciscana population in the Espírito Santo State.