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The Struggle to Save the Irrawaddy Dolphin

The Struggle to Save the Irrawaddy Dolphin

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on February 8, 2016

The Irrawaddy dolphin is an unusual looking creature, to be sure. Unlike the iconic bottlenose variety, the Irrawaddy has a rounder face and long, sleek body. Sadly, this unique marine mammal is in danger of extinction, with an estimated population of only 300 in existence today.

Dark grey or dark blue in color, this breed of dolphin has a small, round-tipped dorsal fin, and wide, long flippers. The weigh an average of 215 to 350 pounds, with the males being longer and heavier than females. Males also sport larger dorsal fins. Their diet consists mainly of fish and crustaceans, which they chew with their narrow, pointy teeth. Their pods are small, usually containing only three to six individuals.

The Irrawaddy is found in coastal areas of South and Southeast Asia. Living in both salt and freshwater, they swim in three rivers that wind through Myanmar, Indonesian Borneo, and the Mekong. This last river has the fewest dolphins, with only about 75 adults living there. In the last ten years, nearly twice that number have died as a result of fishing operations in the Mekong. Fishermen use gillnets and the dolphins are caught as bycatch, where they become trapped and suffocate.

The Cambodian government has attempted to counteract this decline, creating a Dolphin Commission to monitor the species. They have set up ranger posts along the river to patrol and prevent the use of gillnets in protected areas. It is a difficult task, with each ranger having to patrol nearly 200 km of river. A recent grant from the conservation group Save Our Species (SOS) has awarded funds to this effort, providing them with radios, GPS units, cameras, and other equipment that will aid in the fight to save the Irrawaddy dolphin.

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro