Threatened Cambodia river dolphins making comeback
The number of dolphins in the Mekong River is increasing, according to a survey by Cambodian authorities and the WWF
The population of Cambodia’s critically endangered river dolphin is growing for the first time in decades, conservationists said on Monday, hailing a major turnaround for the freshwater species.
The Irrawaddy dolphins, known for their bulging foreheads and short beaks, once swam through much of the Mekong river but in recent decades have been limited to a 190km (118 mile) stretch from central Cambodia to its northern border with Laos.
The population has been in steady decline since the first census was taken in 1997, dropping from 200 that year to 80 in 2015 due to habitat loss and destructive fishing practices.
But new births – including three calves in 2018 – and a decline in deaths appear to have put the species on the path to recovery.
The number of dolphins in the Mekong has increased from 80 to 92 in the past two years, according to a survey by Cambodian authorities and the global conservation group WWF, which called the rebound a “historic increase”.
“After years of hard work, we finally have reason to believe that these iconic dolphins can be protected against extinction,” said Seng Teak from WWF-Cambodia.
