What you can do in order to protect the Peruvian dolphins

1.) Do not buy or eat "muchame" or "chancho marino" (sea pig)!

2.) Talk to your friends and family about the threat dolphins face in Peru and promote their conservation !

3.) Get prepared !
This is, how fresh dolphin meat looks when being sold as chancho marino. It is a very red meat with white fiber.

When the meat has been exposed to air for a longer period it becomes black. Muchame - the dried meat - therefore is black.
We have designed a special report form you may use in case you encounter dead dolphin in the beach. Before visiting the Peruvian coast you may load it down and print it out in order to have it with you while visiting beaches. Click here in order to access our report-form.

Download form

4.) Become active !

A.) Dead dolphins on the beach
If you find a dead dolphin on the beach take pictures of the body and send us either the negatives, paper prints or the slides together with the name of the beach and the nearest town or harbor, as well as the date, when you found the dolphin. To write down your observations and send them to us would be helpful. If you have a digital camera you can mail us your pictures and report.
These information helps us to have a better idea about the dimension of the black market on dolphin meat in Peru and to identify priority areas for future conservation activities. If you give us written permission to use the information sent by you we could incorporate the material in our awareness campaign. If you wish so, your name will not be mentioned in case we use your information.

B) You have been offered dolphin meat or witnessed illegal activities
If you are visiting Peru's coast and you find restaurants or markets that sell muchame of chancho marino, or if you see people killing dolphins or transporting dead dolphins or dolphin meat, you have two options:

1.) Call our emergency phone 01-997 555 91 and tell us what you witnessed or send us a written report containing all the necessary information like your name and permanent address as well as phone numbers and email address, the location, where your observation took place, date, description of involved people, any names known to you, license numbers of cars or boats, as well as any additional information that may helpful. Having this information we can follow up or inform the Police Department for Ecological Crimes in Lima.
You can mail to:
Mundo Azul
Manuel A. Fuentes 884 C
Lima 27 - San Isidro
Peru
Or to: mundoazul@peru.com

2.) File an official complaint to the local police, to the marine post in the nearest harbor and/or to the mayors office.
In order to make your complaint stronger it is good to have an additional witness. If you have been alone, while witnessing the violation of the law, you may have the possibility to take pictures. Try to note down names or detailed descriptions of the people involved in the violation, names and plates of cars or boats involved in the violation.

Local officials may deny their jurisdiction over the topic. This is because there is still little knowledge about the legal situation in local officials. It is a good idea to print out the legal summary in this web-site and have it with you when traveling along the coast. Don't give up, whatever local officials may say in order to not accept your complaint. Insisting on compliance with the law is a good way to raise awareness about the importance of dolphin conservation.
Tell us about your experience while filing the complaint and if possible send us a copy of your complaint, so that we may follow up if an investigation was undertaken by the officials.
In case local marine officials did not want to accept your complaint or if you feel they have not been well informed or helpful, you may like to inform also the following officials about your experiences:

Ministerio de Producción "Produce"
Dirección Nacional de Medio Ambiente
Señora Blga. Sulma H. Carrasco Barrera
Directora Nacional de Medio Ambiente
Calle Uno Oeste N° 060, Urb. Córpac
San Isidro, Lima 27
Email: DINAMA@minpes.gob.pe
Fax: 01-224-3231

Dirección General de Capitanías y Guardacostas
Dirección de Medio Ambiente
Señor Javier Gaviola Tejada
Capitán de Navío
Correo electrónico: gavio001@marina.mil.pe
Fax: 01-222-2410
In this case it is helpful if you have been noting down the name and rank of the local officials you talked to.

Support our campaign with a financial contribution. Mundo Azul is financed by donations. If you wish to support our work please contact us: mundoazul@peru.com

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