Eduardo Gold

Peruvian conservationist leading Amazon river dolphin protection efforts

Eduardo Gold's Conservation Legacy

Eduardo Gold (b.1972) is a Peruvian biologist and founder of Save the Amazon River Dolphin, an organization dedicated to protecting the pink river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) and its Amazonian habitat. Growing up along the Amazon River in Iquitos, Gold witnessed the devastating impacts of illegal fishing and gold mining on aquatic ecosystems. After earning his marine biology degree from the National University of San Martín, he pioneered the first comprehensive studies of river dolphin populations in the 1990s.

In 2006, Gold launched the Amazon Dolphin Corridor initiative, creating a 1,200km protected zone spanning Peru, Brazil, and Colombia. His innovative sonar tracking system revealed migration patterns critical for designing conservation strategies. Gold's work led to Peru's 2011 law banning gillnet fishing in key dolphin habitats, saving an estimated 3,000 dolphins annually.

Gold's 2018 documentary Amazonas Vivo brought international attention to mercury pollution from gold mining. His organization's Community Guardian program trains local fishermen as eco-tourism guides, creating sustainable livelihoods. In 2021, his efforts were recognized with the Goldman Environmental Prize, often called the 'Green Nobel.'

Gold currently chairs the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization's biodiversity committee and advises the Peruvian government on environmental policy. His National Geographic partnership has expanded conservation efforts to include jaguar and giant otter populations.