Ecuador has joined forces with four other South American countries in a bid to help protect the habitat of river dolphins.

The move has been described as a "milestone" for the endangered creatures – and stems from a massive survey which has been carried out on the dolphins over the last two years.

It aimed to give scientists and environmentalists a better idea of the threats faced by dolphin population in rivers throughout Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia.

Fernando Trujillo, a scientist who led the project, said: "This census gives us a baseline population for these species and gives us an insight into the state of the ecosystems they inhabit."

He added: "Although the situation for river dolphins in South America is not the same as for dolphins in Cambodia, for instance, both have areas where we need to raise the alarm against threats like pollution, indiscriminate hunting and the development of infrastructure megaprojects."

It is hoped that the five-nation pact will see a number of conservation projects emerge, including educating fishermen on how to avoid poisoning dolphins and increasing dolphin-related tourism.

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