Mundo Azul was founded in 1999 with the aim to protect the marine and aquatic biodiversity of Peru. Founding members of Mundo Azul are: Nina Pardo, Stefan Austermühle, Sergio Bambaren, Alfredo Ferreyros Gildemeister, Lucho Raffo and Olga Rey.

In the first years Mundo Azul initiated pioneering diving expeditions in Lake Titicaca, the first diving exploration in Laguna de los Condores and in the Peruvian rainforest, at the National Park Yanachaga Chemillen. Along the Peruvian coast Mundo Azul realized biodiversity and ecologic research and underwater mapping, using top-technology like sediment sonars.

Mundo Azul led undercover research into investigating the illegal killing of dolphins for human consumption and cooperated with the Peruvian Navy and the Ecological Police (Department for Ecology and Tourism of the National Police of Peru) in the capture of illegal dolphin meat dealers.

Mundo Azul implemented the first standardized evaluation of the conservation status of coastal wetlands on a national level.

In 2003, Mundo Azul received the “Cambie” award from the University of the South Pacific for it’s efforts to conserve a threatened species and in 2004, it was recognized with the “Cambie” award for it’s effort in marine conservation.

In 2006 Mundo Azul initiated Perus first large scale photo-identifiction research program of bottlenose dolphins and hopes to extend this research effort to other species in the future.

In 2005, it became clear that it is necessary for Mundo Azul to broaden it’s former vision in order to better attend to environmental problems throughout the country and not only on marine and coastal issues.
 
We believe that it is necessary to integrate nature conservation with the fight against poverty, sustainable development and improvement of human and animal welfare. Nowadays, living in an interconnected world, conservation can’t be restricted to marine environments on hand or protected areas on the other hand, but one has to work in all existing environments, including the urban environment or agricultural and industrial landscapes.

Therefore, Mundo Azul aims to work in the future throughout Peru on a wide range of topics while maintaining and reinforcing at the same time, what we are already doing well: Marine conservation.

Vision
Mundo Azul envisions a future in which humans have learned to live in harmony with their own kind, other species and nature itself. Natural resources will be used in a sustainable way, human and animal welfare, as well as biodiversity conservation and the continuity of natural cycles will be a key issue of economic development; poverty has been overcome and the size of the human population will stay within the limits of our planet’s carrying capacity.

Mission

Mundo Azul contributes to the conservation of biological diversity and nature, to sustainable development, to poverty reduction and to an improved human and animal welfare.

Objetives

• Support, strengthen and implement all necessary measures for the conservation of nature and biodiversity, due to field work, research and environmental education and media work, as well as advocacy.
• Support, strengthen and implement environmentally sustainable economic activities and fight poverty.
• Improve human and animal welfare due to field work, by raising public awareness and by taking political action.

Stay in touch with Mundo Azul! Sign up to our google group “Mundo Azul International” and receive news about our work and nature conservation in Peru, Web site updates, action alerts, suggestions on how you can participate or help, volunteer opportunities, internship and job openings and much more.

Follow us on Twitter

Become a member of our Facebook group “Mundo Azul International“

Page author: Stefan Austermühle