Sad.
The Irrawaddy dolphins, found in Southeast Asia’s Mekong River, are on the brink of extinction, with only 85 currently surviving.
World Wildlife Fund reports that the dolphins’ calves are not surviving, “leaving the older dolphins [to] die off.”
Found in the rivers of Indonesia, the group’s Asian species expert Barney Long says:
“These dolphins are at high risk of extinction by their small population size alone. With the added threats of gill net entanglement and high calf mortality, we are seriously concerned about their future.”
The dolphins are viewed as sacred by the Khmer and Lao people and with dolphin-watching being an “important source of income and jobs for communities,” it’s affecting an entire population.
So far, this is no explanation as to why the calves die at a young age. Hopefully a solution is found before it’s too late.
[Image via World Wildlife Fund.]
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