The Project
To answer this question, on World Oceans Day (June 8) ANP|WWF and several partners launched a new project: “Golfinhos no Tejo” (Dolphins in the Tagus), with Carlsberg’s support.
With the iconic Lisbon landscape as background, ANP|WWF's work in this project is also financed by Oceano Azul Foundation and aims to contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the rich natural heritage that is the Tagus Estuary. The main protagonists are common dolphins, a flagship species much cherished by everyone.
Over the next few months and through three lines of action - knowing, involving and raising awareness - relevant scientific information will be gathered to understand how the environmental quality of the Tagus Estuary has evolved in recent decades, which now allows more regular visits by dolphins, as well as to identify possible sources of disturbance, such as maritime traffic, climate change, pollution, among others. The result will be a report with a set of recommendations to improve the conservation of the Tagus Estuary and its species, such as dolphins. In addition, through local actions, it will promote greater participation of different stakeholders, including the users of the Estuary and entities with jurisdiction over it, in safeguarding the natural heritage of riverside municipalities. From a broader social point of view, bringing citizens closer to conservation and valuing the presence of dolphins in the Tagus as an indicator of the good condition of this Estuary.
The Movement
ANP|WWF's mission is to create a future in which people and nature live in harmony. Carlsberg's commitment is to protect marine ecosystems and their biodiversity. Does it make sense to put the two together? Probably.
#ProbablyBetterNow is Carlsberg's new movement, which wants to draw attention to the importance of the Tagus Estuary and its biodiversity. On the digital platform associated with movement, one can find news, activities, and even a game that allows anyone – living far or near the sea – to help “clean up” the ocean. Until mid-2022, Carlsberg and ANP|WWF join forces to challenge everyone to take an active role in preserving marine biodiversity.
As Lisbon is one of the only European capitals with dolphins on its doorstep, this is a natural capital that must be preserved, not only for its iconic beauty but also for its environmental value.
The Tagus Estuary has been threatened by pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change, which directly impacts the species that inhabit or go through it. A maternity and feeding area for different species, it is extremely important for biodiversity. Dolphins, as top predators, help maintaining the balance of the ecosystem's food chain, so protecting them becomes one of the pillars of ANP|WWF’s project and the #ProbablyBetterNow movement.
The Mural
One of the most striking actions of this movement is the inauguration of an interactive wall, made on a gable facing the Alcântara Library, in Lisbon, by street artist and ANP|WWF’s ambassador, Edis One. This is a very special mural, accompanied by a QR Code for an even more immersive and interactive experience. In the words of Edis One, “RIO TEJO was the name I gave to this work that intends to welcome dolphins and, above all, to sensitize people to their importance in our waters”.
Being more than a work of art, this mural is filled with symbolism, seeking to convey the key messages of the project and the movement. “We are fighting the present to save the future”, continues the creator, noting that it made perfect sense to collaborate with this movement, framing this new piece in his “Original Extinction Art Project”.
Carlsberg and ANP|WWF invite everyone to take a walk along the Tagus riverside, with a short detour to the Alcântara Library, and leave the tip: “maybe you’ll spot a dolphin jumping”.