6000 Rare Irrawaddy Dolphins Found in Bangladesh
April 1st, 2009
A group of conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society operating on the coast of Bangladesh claims they have discovered 6000 os rare Irrawaddy Dolphins in the area. The same group however warns that these Irrawaddy Dolphins are facing population threat due to excessive fishing nets and climate change.
Irrawaddy Dolphins are mammals closest to other marine mammals, in particular killer whales or orcas. They were discovered in freshwater regions of South Asia, within the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest in Bangladesh and Bay of Bengal the waters of which are adjacent to Sundarbans. Up to this point, there has been very little research on marine mammals done in the area. Prior to this discovery, the largest known population of Irrawaddy Dolphins has only had a couple hundred members.
Irrawaddy Dolphins were listed on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable species, in particular since it was not known how many of them still remain on the planet. Thriving population of Irrawaddy Dolphins in Bangladesh gives us hope that there is future for these mammal and that they will be preserved in their natural habitat. Despite this discovery, however, Irrawaddy Dolphins remain threatened by fishing nets where they often get entangled by accident and drown. Declining fresh water supplies pose even bigger threat to Irrawaddy Dolphins. India has been diverging upstream water and sea level has been rising due to global warming, both of which contribute to devastating effect on the population of rare Irrawaddy Dolphins.
These circumstances however threaten more dolphin species than just Irrawaddys. Ganges River Dolphins are as endangered as Irrawaddy Dolphins in the Sundarbans mangrove forest. Freshwater dolphins are very vulnerable to extinction via humans impacts. Baiji or Yangtze River Dolphins are a reminder that unless humans live in harmony with wildlife, we will lose some of the most beautiful creatures that are on this planet.
Check out the video with Irrawaddy Dolphins below:
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