Dear Marmamers

A new study published in Conservation Biology delivers a sobering insight: forest fire smoke in the Amazon is not just a human health crisis—it’s now a direct threat to the survival of river dolphins.

Endangered species like the Inia (Amazon river dolphin) are being exposed to prolonged smoke from intensifying wildfires. Unlike terrestrial animals, they can’t escape the toxic haze. Their lung anatomy—adapted for breath-hold diving—makes them especially vulnerable to smoke inhalation, which can cause pneumonia, impair feeding, and reduce calf survival during the peak fire season.

The study documents how dolphins have been observed sneezing and coughing in fire-stricken waters, and it draws troubling parallels to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill’s long-term effects on marine cetaceans.

With fire seasons growing longer and more intense, in our new paper we urge immediate research and policy action to prevent further declines in these already fragile populations.

If you have questions or need help getting a pdf copy of the article, please send an email to Enzo Aliaga-Rossel:  ealiagar@hotmail.com or Andreas Fahlman: gdrsl16@gmail.com

Read the full article:
Aliaga-Rossel et al. (2025). Forest fire smoke as a threat to the health of river dolphins.
https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70098

Warm regards,

Enzo, David, Miriam, Luis and Andreas