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Bufeo: el compañero de los ríos amazónicos en Bolivia
(English below)
En los ríos que recorren la Amazonía boliviana, habita un ser que muchas personas reconocen y muchas más quieren. No es extraño verlo emerger suavemente, con su cuerpo robusto y su color rosado que parece reflejar el atardecer. Es el bufeo boliviano (Inia boliviensis), el delfín de río que ha acompañado a generaciones enteras de comunidades ribereñas, pescadores y pueblos locales e indígenas.
Fotografía: Un grupo de bufeos nada serenamente por un río en Bella Vista, Beni.
Donde hay bufeos, hay alegría. Hay vida.
Bufeo, vida que fluye. Así lo sienten quienes lo ven aparecer entre las aguas, como un recordatorio de que el río sigue respirando, dando vida.
Es común escuchar a los niños y niñas emocionarse al verlo aparecer, o a los mayores contar historias sobre cómo los bufeos los han acompañado durante la pesca o simplemente en sus días en el río.
Una de esas historias es la de Omar Ortuño, pescador de Puerto Villarroel en Cochabamba, quien con el tiempo comprendió el verdadero papel del bufeo el río. “Es un animal grande”, dice con respeto. “Y gracias a él, los peces no se estancan, siempre están en movimiento. Si hay movimiento, hay vida, hay actividad”. Hoy, para él y para muchos otros pescadores y comunarios, el bufeo boliviano no es solo un animal: es el compañero del río, un guía silencioso que les indica si el agua sigue viva.
Berlayne Huanacoma, pescador de la comunidad Bella Vista en Beni, lo siente incluso más cerca. Para él, el bufeo es también un guardián, un protector del pescador. “Me alegra cuando está ahí”, confiesa. “Siento una mezcla de alegría… y de protección, más que todo”. De niño, recuerda cómo, junto a sus amigos, agitaban el agua con sus varitas mientras pescaban, y los bufeos, curiosos, se acercaban, como si compartieran un juego. Pero también atesora historias más profundas, como las que le contaba su abuela: relatos donde una bufeo salvó su vida durante un naufragio, llevándola hasta la orilla. No es solo un mito o leyenda. Es memoria viva. Es gratitud.
Una de esas historias es la de Omar Ortuño, pescador de Puerto Villarroel en Cochabamba, quien con el tiempo comprendió el verdadero papel del bufeo el río. “Es un animal grande”, dice con respeto. “Y gracias a él, los peces no se estancan, siempre están en movimiento. Si hay movimiento, hay vida, hay actividad”. Hoy, para él y para muchos otros pescadores y comunarios, el bufeo boliviano no es solo un animal: es el compañero del río, un guía silencioso que les indica si el agua sigue viva.
Berlayne Huanacoma, pescador de la comunidad Bella Vista en Beni, lo siente incluso más cerca. Para él, el bufeo es también un guardián, un protector del pescador. “Me alegra cuando está ahí”, confiesa. “Siento una mezcla de alegría… y de protección, más que todo”. De niño, recuerda cómo, junto a sus amigos, agitaban el agua con sus varitas mientras pescaban, y los bufeos, curiosos, se acercaban, como si compartieran un juego. Pero también atesora historias más profundas, como las que le contaba su abuela: relatos donde una bufeo salvó su vida durante un naufragio, llevándola hasta la orilla. No es solo un mito o leyenda. Es memoria viva. Es gratitud.
Pero los ríos han comenzado a cambiar.
Las amenazas que se acumulan en el agua, como la contaminación, la pesca descontrolada, la presencia de especies invasoras como el paiche, y las sequías más frecuentes, afectan directamente al bufeo. Y cuando el bufeo sufre, también lo hace el equilibrio de los ecosistemas acuáticos que todas las personas necesitamos para vivir.
A partir de una pregunta que surgía desde ambos lados: los pescadores se preguntaban: “¿Y cómo puedo participar más activamente en su conservación?”, mientras que los científicos se cuestionaban: “¿Cómo podemos involucrar a los pescadores y otros actores interesados en conservar activamente a los bufeos?”. WWF-Bolivia y FAUNAGUA junto a la Iniciativa Sudamericana de Delfines de Río (SARDI) emprendieron una misión clara: proteger al bufeo, entenderlo mejor, y trabajar junto con las comunidades en su conservación.
Y justamente por eso, en 2010, cuando Omar supo que WWF-Bolivia y FAUNAGUA estaban organizando una nueva iniciativa para contar bufeos como parte de un ejercicio de ciencia ciudadana, no dudó en sumarse.
La iniciativa de ciencia ciudadana comenzó en 2021 y, desde entonces, se han recorrido más de 1500 kilómetros de río, con Omar y Berlayne como piezas clave en este camino. Hasta ahora, se han registrado más de 500 bufeos. La mirada afinada de los pescadores, entrenada por años de convivencia cercana con el agua, aporta un valor incalculable al estudio.
Para la bióloga y coordinadora de corredor Iténez-Mamoré Lila Sainz, este cruce de saberes es crucial:
“En WWF-Bolivia entendemos la ciencia ciudadana como un proceso colaborativo donde el conocimiento científico se construye junto a los actores locales que viven y trabajan en los ríos. Esta participación no solo mejora la calidad y frecuencia de los datos recogidos, sino que fortalece el compromiso local con la conservación, al vincular directamente la salud del ecosistema con sus medios de vida”.
Desde FAUNAGUA, Giancarla Gamboa, comunicadora social de profesión y parte activa del proyecto de conservación del bufeo, destaca el poder de la comunicación como un puente entre el conocimiento, la emoción y la acción:
"He aprendido cómo una historia bien contada puede tocar corazones y vidas, y transformar la percepción que tenemos sobre nuestros ríos y su biodiversidad. Comunicar no solo conlleva la transmisión de conocimiento, es inspirar a las personas a involucrarse, a apreciar lo que nos rodea y tomar acciones para protegerlo. Para el bufeo, contar su historia es una manera de darle voz, de recordarnos que su vida está vinculada al equilibrio del ecosistema y el bienestar de las comunidades que residen en la Amazonía boliviana. Contar estas historias a partir del trabajo de actores locales es una herramienta poderosa para generar cambios”.
"He aprendido cómo una historia bien contada puede tocar corazones y vidas, y transformar la percepción que tenemos sobre nuestros ríos y su biodiversidad. Comunicar no solo conlleva la transmisión de conocimiento, es inspirar a las personas a involucrarse, a apreciar lo que nos rodea y tomar acciones para protegerlo. Para el bufeo, contar su historia es una manera de darle voz, de recordarnos que su vida está vinculada al equilibrio del ecosistema y el bienestar de las comunidades que residen en la Amazonía boliviana. Contar estas historias a partir del trabajo de actores locales es una herramienta poderosa para generar cambios”.
La información generada por el conteo de los pescadores, sumado al uso de tecnologías como la App BUFEO y el trabajo de SARDI, permitió afinar el conocimiento sobre las poblaciones del bufeo boliviano y su distribución. Las observaciones mostraron que la abundancia varía según el método usado, y también confirmaron algo esencial: el bufeo sigue ahí, nadando junto a nosotros, sin embargo, necesita protección urgente.
El cariño por el bufeo no se limita a las comunidades ribereñas.
Desde la ciudad, hay quienes también han sentido un profundo vínculo con esta especie. Fernanda Gutiérrez, miembro del equipo de comunicación de WWF-Bolivia, cuenta con emoción su primera vez viendo bufeos:
“Verlos nadar cerca del bote fue muy conmovedor. Me trajo una sensación profunda de nostalgia y ternura. Mi bisabuela, que falleció en 2011 y a quien extraño todos los días, se llamaba Delfina y era una amante de la naturaleza. Sentí que esos delfines de río eran como un abrazo al corazón, como si ella estuviera ahí conmigo, en medio del agua y la vida”.
También para Alessandra Lobo, bióloga con más de 18 años de experiencia y parte del equipo de WWF-Bolivia, fue un momento muy especial:
“Ver por primera vez a los delfines de río nadando en las aguas tranquilas de la Amazonía fue una experiencia profundamente conmovedora. Sentí una mezcla de asombro, gratitud y humildad al presenciar la elegancia con la que se desplazaban, rompiendo brevemente la superficie del agua para saludarnos. Fue ver la vida silvestre en su forma más pura, en un ecosistema que palpita con misterio y belleza. En ese instante, reconfirmé con el corazón, no solo con la ciencia, la urgencia de proteger este tesoro natural".
Estas historias urbanas reflejan que el bufeo ha dejado de ser un símbolo exclusivo del río: hoy vive en la memoria, en los afectos y en la conciencia de muchas personas que quizás nunca han pisado una orilla de río, pero que se sienten llamadas a protegerlo.
Paul Van Damme, biólogo y Director Técnico de FAUNAGUA, nos invita a mirar más allá de lo evidente y recuerda que ya no podemos dar por sentada la presencia del bufeo en nuestros ríos.
“Aunque aún no hay indicios de que el número de bufeos en los ríos está disminuyendo, las amenazas sí están aumentando. Por esa razón, tenemos que ser alertos y monitorear periódicamente a las poblaciones de bufeos, mejor si es con la participación de las comunidades indígenas y los pescadores, que son las personas que viven más cerca al río y a los bufeos”.
Y eso está ocurriendo. Cada día más personas participan en monitoreos, usan la app BUFEO o comparten información. La ciencia ciudadana está creciendo, y con ella, la posibilidad de proteger a una especie que simboliza la salud de nuestros ríos.
Esta historia nos deja una verdad simple pero poderosa: cuidar al bufeo es cuidar nuestro futuro compartido.
“A quienes se acercan al agua, les diría que el bufeo es un ser que cuida la vida humana. Por eso, nosotros también debemos cuidarlo, no acabar con él. Protejámoslo, porque al hacerlo, también nos estamos protegiendo a nosotros mismos” finalizó Berlayne.
Hoy, gracias a esfuerzos conjuntos entre ciencia, tecnología, saber local y emociones urbanas, el bufeo está vivo en nuestras aguas y corazones. Y con él, la esperanza de conservar una Amazonía viva que nos sostiene.
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Bufeo: the companion of the Amazonian rivers in Bolivia
In the rivers that flow through the Bolivian Amazon lives a being that many people recognize and even more love. It’s not unusual to see it gently surface, with its robust body and pink color that seems to reflect the sunset. It’s the Bolivian river dolphin (Inia boliviensis), the freshwater dolphin that has accompanied entire generations of riverside communities, fishers, and local and Indigenous peoples.
Where there are river dolphins, there is joy. There is life.
River dolphin, life that flows. That’s how those who see it emerge from the water feel it—like a reminder that the river is still breathing, still giving life.
It's common to hear children get excited when they see it appear, or elders tell stories about how river dolphins have accompanied them while fishing or simply during their days on the river.
One of those stories is from Omar Ortuño, a fisher from Puerto Villarroel in Cochabamba, who over time came to understand the true role of the dolphin in the river.“It’s a big animal” he says with respect.“And thanks to it, the fish don’t stay still, they’re always on the move. If there’s movement, there’s life, there’s activity.”
Today, for him and many other fishers and community members, the Bolivian river dolphin is not just an animal: it’s the river’s companion, a silent guide that tells them whether the water is still alive.
Berlayne Huanacoma, a fisher from the community of Bella Vista in Beni, feels it even closer. For him, the dolphin is also a guardian, a protector of fishers.“I’m happy when it’s there,” he confesses. “I feel a mix of joy… and protection, more than anything.”
As a child, he remembers how he and his friends would stir the water with their little sticks while fishing, and the curious dolphins would come closer, as if they were sharing a game. But he also treasures deeper stories, like the ones his grandmother used to tell: tales where a dolphin saved her life during a shipwreck, carrying her to shore.It’s not just myth or legend. It’s living memory. It’s gratitude.
But the rivers have started to change.
Threats accumulating in the water—such as pollution, uncontrolled fishing, the presence of invasive species like the paiche, and more frequent droughts—directly affect the river dolphin. And when the dolphin suffers, so does the balance of aquatic ecosystems that we all need to live.
From both sides, a question emerged: fishers were asking, “How can I participate more actively in its conservation?”, while scientists were wondering, “How can we involve fishers and other stakeholders in actively conserving river dolphins?”
WWF-Bolivia and FAUNAGUA, along with the South American River Dolphin Initiative (SARDI), took on a clear mission: to protect the dolphin, better understand it, and work hand in hand with communities for its conservation.
And that’s precisely why, in 2010, when Omar heard that WWF-Bolivia and FAUNAGUA were organizing a new initiative to count dolphins as part of a citizen science effort, he didn’t hesitate to join.
The citizen science initiative began in 2021 and, since then, more than 1,500 kilometers of river have been covered, with Omar and Berlayne as key figures in this journey. So far, more than 500 river dolphins have been recorded. The sharp eyes of the fishers, trained by years of close coexistence with the water, provide invaluable value to the study.
For biologist and Iténez-Mamoré Corridor coordinator Lila Sainz, this exchange of knowledge is essential:
“At WWF-Bolivia, we understand citizen science as a collaborative process where scientific knowledge is built alongside local actors who live and work on the rivers. This participation not only improves the quality and frequency of collected data, but also strengthens local commitment to conservation by directly linking ecosystem health to their livelihoods.”
From FAUNAGUA, Giancarla Gamboa, a social communicator by profession and an active part of the dolphin conservation project, highlights the power of communication as a bridge between knowledge, emotion, and action:
"I have learned how a well-told story can touch hearts and lives, and transform the perception we have about our rivers and their biodiversity. Communicating is not just about passing on knowledge, it's about inspiring people to get involved, to appreciate what's around us and take action to protect it. For the buffalo, telling its story is a way to give it a voice, to remind us that its life is linked to the balance of the ecosystem and the well-being of the communities that live in the Bolivian Amazon. Telling these stories through the work of local actors is a powerful tool for generating change.
The information generated by the fishers’ dolphin counts, together with the use of technologies such as the BUFEO App and the work of SARDI, helped refine knowledge about the Bolivian dolphin’s populations and distribution. Observations showed that abundance varies depending on the method used, and they also confirmed something essential: the dolphin is still there, swimming with us—however, it urgently needs protection.
Love for the river dolphin is not limited to riverside communities.
From the city, some people have also felt a deep connection to this species. Fernanda Gutiérrez, a member of the WWF-Bolivia communications team, excitedly recalls the first time she saw river dolphins:
“Seeing them swim near the boat was very moving. It brought a deep feeling of nostalgia and tenderness. My great-grandmother, who passed away in 2011 and whom I miss every day, was named Delfina and loved nature. I felt like those river dolphins were a hug to the heart, as if she were there with me, in the middle of the water and life.”
It was also a very special moment for Alessandra Lobo, a biologist with more than 18 years of experience and part of the WWF-Bolivia team:
“Seeing river dolphins for the first time swimming in the calm waters of the Amazon was a deeply moving experience. I felt a mix of awe, gratitude, and humility as I witnessed their elegance breaking the water’s surface to greet us. It was wildlife in its purest form, in an ecosystem pulsing with mystery and beauty. In that moment, I reconfirmed with my heart—not just with science—the urgency of protecting this natural treasure.”
These urban stories reflect that the river dolphin is no longer just a symbol of the river: today it lives in memory, in affection, and in the awareness of many people who may have never set foot on a riverbank, but feel called to protect it.
Paul Van Damme, biologist and Technical Director of FAUNAGUA, invites us to look beyond the obvious and reminds us that we can no longer take the dolphin’s presence in our rivers for granted.
“Although there are no signs yet that the number of dolphins in the rivers is decreasing, the threats are increasing. For that reason, we must be alert and monitor dolphin populations periodically, ideally with the participation of Indigenous communities and fishers, who are the people living closest to the river and the dolphins.”
And that is happening. More people are joining monitoring efforts every day, using the BUFEO app or sharing information. Citizen science is growing—and with it, the possibility of protecting a species that symbolizes the health of our rivers.
This story leaves us with a simple but powerful truth: caring for the river dolphin is caring for our shared future.
“To those who approach the water, I would say that the dolphin is a being that looks after human life. That’s why we must also take care of it, not destroy it. Let’s protect it, because by doing so, we are also protecting ourselves,” Berlayne concluded.
Today, thanks to the joint efforts of science, technology, local knowledge, and urban emotions, the river dolphin is alive in our waters and in our hearts. And with it, the hope of preserving a living Amazon that sustains us.
Photo: A group of river dolphins swims peacefully through a river in Bella Vista, Beni.
Where there are river dolphins, there is joy. There is life.
River dolphin, life that flows. That’s how those who see it emerge from the water feel it—like a reminder that the river is still breathing, still giving life.
It's common to hear children get excited when they see it appear, or elders tell stories about how river dolphins have accompanied them while fishing or simply during their days on the river.
One of those stories is from Omar Ortuño, a fisher from Puerto Villarroel in Cochabamba, who over time came to understand the true role of the dolphin in the river.“It’s a big animal” he says with respect.“And thanks to it, the fish don’t stay still, they’re always on the move. If there’s movement, there’s life, there’s activity.”
Today, for him and many other fishers and community members, the Bolivian river dolphin is not just an animal: it’s the river’s companion, a silent guide that tells them whether the water is still alive.
Berlayne Huanacoma, a fisher from the community of Bella Vista in Beni, feels it even closer. For him, the dolphin is also a guardian, a protector of fishers.“I’m happy when it’s there,” he confesses. “I feel a mix of joy… and protection, more than anything.”
As a child, he remembers how he and his friends would stir the water with their little sticks while fishing, and the curious dolphins would come closer, as if they were sharing a game. But he also treasures deeper stories, like the ones his grandmother used to tell: tales where a dolphin saved her life during a shipwreck, carrying her to shore.It’s not just myth or legend. It’s living memory. It’s gratitude.
But the rivers have started to change.
Threats accumulating in the water—such as pollution, uncontrolled fishing, the presence of invasive species like the paiche, and more frequent droughts—directly affect the river dolphin. And when the dolphin suffers, so does the balance of aquatic ecosystems that we all need to live.
From both sides, a question emerged: fishers were asking, “How can I participate more actively in its conservation?”, while scientists were wondering, “How can we involve fishers and other stakeholders in actively conserving river dolphins?”
WWF-Bolivia and FAUNAGUA, along with the South American River Dolphin Initiative (SARDI), took on a clear mission: to protect the dolphin, better understand it, and work hand in hand with communities for its conservation.
And that’s precisely why, in 2010, when Omar heard that WWF-Bolivia and FAUNAGUA were organizing a new initiative to count dolphins as part of a citizen science effort, he didn’t hesitate to join.
The citizen science initiative began in 2021 and, since then, more than 1,500 kilometers of river have been covered, with Omar and Berlayne as key figures in this journey. So far, more than 500 river dolphins have been recorded. The sharp eyes of the fishers, trained by years of close coexistence with the water, provide invaluable value to the study.
For biologist and Iténez-Mamoré Corridor coordinator Lila Sainz, this exchange of knowledge is essential:
“At WWF-Bolivia, we understand citizen science as a collaborative process where scientific knowledge is built alongside local actors who live and work on the rivers. This participation not only improves the quality and frequency of collected data, but also strengthens local commitment to conservation by directly linking ecosystem health to their livelihoods.”
From FAUNAGUA, Giancarla Gamboa, a social communicator by profession and an active part of the dolphin conservation project, highlights the power of communication as a bridge between knowledge, emotion, and action:
"I have learned how a well-told story can touch hearts and lives, and transform the perception we have about our rivers and their biodiversity. Communicating is not just about passing on knowledge, it's about inspiring people to get involved, to appreciate what's around us and take action to protect it. For the buffalo, telling its story is a way to give it a voice, to remind us that its life is linked to the balance of the ecosystem and the well-being of the communities that live in the Bolivian Amazon. Telling these stories through the work of local actors is a powerful tool for generating change.
The information generated by the fishers’ dolphin counts, together with the use of technologies such as the BUFEO App and the work of SARDI, helped refine knowledge about the Bolivian dolphin’s populations and distribution. Observations showed that abundance varies depending on the method used, and they also confirmed something essential: the dolphin is still there, swimming with us—however, it urgently needs protection.
Love for the river dolphin is not limited to riverside communities.
From the city, some people have also felt a deep connection to this species. Fernanda Gutiérrez, a member of the WWF-Bolivia communications team, excitedly recalls the first time she saw river dolphins:
“Seeing them swim near the boat was very moving. It brought a deep feeling of nostalgia and tenderness. My great-grandmother, who passed away in 2011 and whom I miss every day, was named Delfina and loved nature. I felt like those river dolphins were a hug to the heart, as if she were there with me, in the middle of the water and life.”
It was also a very special moment for Alessandra Lobo, a biologist with more than 18 years of experience and part of the WWF-Bolivia team:
“Seeing river dolphins for the first time swimming in the calm waters of the Amazon was a deeply moving experience. I felt a mix of awe, gratitude, and humility as I witnessed their elegance breaking the water’s surface to greet us. It was wildlife in its purest form, in an ecosystem pulsing with mystery and beauty. In that moment, I reconfirmed with my heart—not just with science—the urgency of protecting this natural treasure.”
These urban stories reflect that the river dolphin is no longer just a symbol of the river: today it lives in memory, in affection, and in the awareness of many people who may have never set foot on a riverbank, but feel called to protect it.
Paul Van Damme, biologist and Technical Director of FAUNAGUA, invites us to look beyond the obvious and reminds us that we can no longer take the dolphin’s presence in our rivers for granted.
“Although there are no signs yet that the number of dolphins in the rivers is decreasing, the threats are increasing. For that reason, we must be alert and monitor dolphin populations periodically, ideally with the participation of Indigenous communities and fishers, who are the people living closest to the river and the dolphins.”
And that is happening. More people are joining monitoring efforts every day, using the BUFEO app or sharing information. Citizen science is growing—and with it, the possibility of protecting a species that symbolizes the health of our rivers.
This story leaves us with a simple but powerful truth: caring for the river dolphin is caring for our shared future.
“To those who approach the water, I would say that the dolphin is a being that looks after human life. That’s why we must also take care of it, not destroy it. Let’s protect it, because by doing so, we are also protecting ourselves,” Berlayne concluded.
Today, thanks to the joint efforts of science, technology, local knowledge, and urban emotions, the river dolphin is alive in our waters and in our hearts. And with it, the hope of preserving a living Amazon that sustains us.