IUCN Species of the Day: Irrawaddy Dolphin

 

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(tm)

Photo credit: Deparment of Fishery of Thailand

 

The Irrawaddy Dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris, is listed as ‘VULNERABLE’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. A distinctive dolphin with a rounded head and no beak, this species is patchily distributed in shallow, coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific, and also occurs in three large river systems – the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar, the Mekong in Cambodia, and the Mahakam in Borneo, Indonesia.

The main threat to the Irrawaddy Dolphin is entanglement in gillnets. Habitat loss and degradation from pollution, dam construction, sedimentation, and vessel traffic are additional concerns. These dolphins are revered in many parts of Asia. Five subpopulations, including all three freshwater populations, have suffered dramatic declines in range and numbers and are considered Critically Endangered.

The Irrawaddy Dolphin is legally protected from deliberate capture in most of its range, and specially protected areas have been designated in several areas. Restrictions on the use of gillnets are necessary to reduce entanglement mortality. The use of non-entangling and more selective gear is to be encouraged.

 

Geographic Range of the Irrawaddy DolphinCredit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

 

To learn more about the Irrawaddy Dolphin, click here.  Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.

 

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To learn more about the Bush Warriors “Species of the Day” feature, please click here and read up on our initiative to raise awareness about the loss of earth’s biodiversity.

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