Tarapoto Lakes—more than two hours from Leticia—is a place that travelers to the Colombian Amazon often include in their bucket list because it is home to the charismatic pink dolphins. Although the tourism industry generates one of the main economic revenues for the municipalities, some Indigenous communities question the social and environmental impact of tourism and they fear the situation will get out of hand.
In 2018, Tarapoto Lakes was declared a Ramsar site, which protects an area of 54,643 hectares. Simultaneously, the communities achieved 10 fishing agreements to increase fish stocks, including restrictions to safeguard certain species during specific times of the year. The agreements also state which species are entirely off-limits for fishing and which nets and engines are allowed. One point of contention is the canoes, which can only have a small engine and can travel less than 5 km to avoid hurting the fish and dolphins with their blades or affecting them with noise.
Dolphin watching is one of the main interests of tourists arriving at the site, but according to data from the Omacha Foundation, in the last 30 years, the pink dolphin population has decreased by 52% and gray dolphins by 37% in the Amazon Trapezoid (the southern end of the department).
This story was produced with support from the Earth Journalism Network. It was first published in El Espectador on June 23, 2024. It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Banner image: Lagos de Tarapoto / Credit: Fernando Trujillo - Omacha Foundation.
Maria Paula Lizarazo
