In 2007, the Coral Triangle Initiative, a new multilateral partnership to help safeguard the marine and coastal resources of the Coral Triangle, including the Irrawaddy dolphin subpopulation in Malampaya Sound, was launched. This is also the only place in Myanmar to spot the saltwater crocodile. The Irrawaddy dolphin's proximity to developing communities makes the effort for conservation difficult. The Mekong Delta: home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas and villages surrounded by shimmering emerald rice paddies. Animaldiversity.umich.edu. Irrawaddy dolphins have a mutualistic relationship of co-operative fishing with traditional fishers. Dolphins are mammals, and unlike other animals that live in the sea, they must come to the surface for air. It has a large melon and a blunt, rounded head, and the beak is indistinct. World Wildlife Fund Inc. is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax ID number 52-1693387) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. [9], Irrawaddy dolphins are shy of boats, not known to bow-ride, and generally dive when alarmed. The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphins inhabit a 118-mile stretch of the river between Cambodia and Lao PDR and are scarce—just 92 individuals are estimated to still exist. Around the same time, chances of spotting the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins are high. The Irrawaddy dolphin is also regarded as a sacred animal by both Khmer and Lao people, and is an important source of income and jobs for communities involved in dolphin-watching ecotourism. [37], The species is also covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (MoU).[38]. The protection of the Irrawaddy dolphin is crucial for the overall health of the Mekong River—home to an estimated 1,100 species of fish. [11], It surfaces in a rolling fashion and lifts its tail fluke clear of the water only for a deep dive. However, they found this to be the first case they saw of Irrawaddy dolphins having bacterial infections. [22] In return, the dolphins are rewarded with some of the fishers' bycatch. The species gets its name from the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar. [4] It is one of two species in its genus. Conservation efforts are being made at international and national levels to alleviate these threats. The Wildlife Conservation Society is working with the Bangladesh Ministry of Environment and Forests to create protected areas for the 6000 remaining dolphins[6][39], Irrawaddy dolphins are fully protected as an endangered species under Cambodian fishery law. In contrast, Khmer-Islam fisherman kill them for food. Typically living in groups ranging from just a few individuals to more than 100, they form several types of groups, which include nursery groups, juvenile groups, and groups of adult males. From November to February, the eco-system comes alive with the calls of migratory birds who take the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. MarineBio Conservation Society. The dolphin was 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in length and most likely in her late 20s. Though most fishers are sympathetic to the dolphins' plight, abandoning their traditional livelihood is difficult for them. The development of tours and boats has put a large strain on the dolphins. But this vast, seasonally flooded maze of rivers, swamps and islands is so much more than an exotic holiday destination. This could precipitate the extinction of this specific species in the Mekong River. It is distinguished from other dolphins by the short beak and front-facing blowhole. The IUCN lists five of the seven subpopulations as endangered, primarily due to drowning in fish nets. The practice of using explosives instead has become very popular and led to a steady decline of populations of fish, and especially the dolphins swimming in the area. To protect the dolphins, patrol vessels ensure boats stay at least 30 m (98 ft) away from dolphins and no chasing of or running through schools of dolphins occurs. [55][56] In 2006, a new population was discovered in Guimaras island in the Visayas. The finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) is similar and has no back fin; the humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is larger, and has a longer beak and a larger dorsal fin. Drowning in gillnets is the main threat to them throughout their range. [11], Although sometimes called the Irrawaddy river dolphin, it is not a true river dolphin, but an oceanic dolphin that lives in brackish water near coasts, river mouths, and estuaries. Its short beak appears very different from those of other dolphins, and its mouth is known for having 12-19 peg-like teeth on each side of the jaws. The fishermen attempt to gain the attention of the dolphins through various efforts such as using a cone-shaped wooden stick to drum the side of their canoes, striking their paddles to the surface of the water, jingling their nets, or making calls that sound turkey-like. The Orcaella dolphins are close relatives of the oceanic dolphins in Globicephalinae subfamily. The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia. Several national efforts are resulting in the reduction of threats to local Irrawaddy dolphin subpopulations: Portions of Irrawaddy dolphin habitat in the Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh are included within 139,700 ha (539 sq mi) of three wildlife sanctuaries, which are part of the Sunderbans World Heritage Site. Its range extends from the Bay of Bengal to New Guinea and the Philippines, although it does not appear to venture off shore. Enforcement, though, is the responsibility of individual countries. It has a slate blue to a slate gray color and are a part of genus Orcaella which is also known as snubfin dolphins. The Irrawaddy dolphin is an ocean dolphin found in Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal. This disease mostly affects animals that are pregnant because the infection occurs through the umbilical cord and goes into the maternal bloodstream. Unlike any other dolphin, the Irrawaddy's U-shaped blowhole is on the left of the midline and opens towards the front of the dolphin. De Irrawaddydolfijn (Orcaella brevirostris) is een walvis uit de familie der grondeldolfijnen (Monodontidae), alhoewel hij regelmatig wordt ingedeeld bij de dolfijnen (Delphinidae). When 277 group dives were timed (time of disappearance of the last dolphin in the group to the emergence of the first dolphin in the group) in Laos, mean duration was 115.3  seconds with a range of 19  seconds to 7.18  minutes. They intertwine facing their bellies together and begin to copulate for 40 seconds. The 19 th century naturalist John Anderson described the Irrawaddy dolphin in the Ayeyarwaddy River as morphologically distinct from other Orcaella brevirostris. The project was completed in 2007. Since the endangerment was evident, 66 guards have been posted on the coast of Cambodia to protect these dolphins, and only two deaths have been reported since these efforts. WWF® and ©1986 Panda Symbol are owned by WWF. Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia.Its full name is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.It is also sometimes called Burma.Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia that is not an island. [8] They do this sometimes while spyhopping and during feeding, apparently to expel water ingested during fish capture or possibly to herd fish. The flippers are broad and rounded. Its dorsal fin, located about two-thirds posterior along the back, is short, blunt, and triangular. WWF collaborates with The Coca-Cola Company and local residents to address impacts from climate change in the Mekong River Basin through habitat restoration, infrastructure improvements and influencing local policy. These dolphins are thought to reach sexual maturity at seven to nine years. A prime example of this is the establishment of patrols in several villages. It has established subpopulations in freshwater rivers, including the Ganges and the Mekong, as well as the Irrawaddy River from which it takes its name. [54] In the 1970s, many Irrawaddy dolphins were slaughtered for oil, and soon after, intensive fishing practices with explosives and gillnets began. If the Irrawaddy dolphin looks familiar, it may be due to the dolphin's resemblance to the beluga whale, which is in the same family as the Irrawaddy dolphin… It is lightly colored all over, but slightly more white on the underside than the back. [6] A major restoration effort to open a new mouth between Chilika Lake and the Bay of Bengal in 2000 was successful in restoring the lake ecology and regulating the salinity gradient in the lake waters, which has resulted in increases in the population of Irrawaddy dolphin due to increase of prey species of fish, prawns, and crabs. [41] In January 2012, the Cambodian Fisheries Administration, the Commission for Conservation and Development of Mekong River Dolphin Eco-tourism Zone, and WWF signed the Kratie Declaration on the Conservation of the Mekong River Irrawaddy Dolphin, an agreement binding them to work together, and setting out a roadmap for dolphin conservation in the Mekong River. The Irrawaddy dolphins always changed directions when they encountered these large vessels. [21] In Burma, in the upper reaches of the Ayeyarwady River, Irrawaddy dolphins drive fish towards fishers using cast nets in response to acoustic signals from them. With technical support provided by the project, the municipality of Taytay and the Malampaya park management developed fishery policies to minimize the threats to the Irrawaddy dolphin from bycatch capture. Some dolphins accidentally become entangled in the net. Between January and February 2006, a dozen Irrawaddy dolphins were found dead. [47][48], A conservation program, entitled Conservation Foundation for the Protection of Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia, focused on protecting the Irrawaddy dolphin population and their habitat, the Mahakam River. An 1879 report indicated legal claims were frequently brought into native courts by fishers to recover a share of the fish from the nets of a rival fisher that the plaintiff's dolphin was claimed to have helped fill. Irrawaddy dolphins in general however, are IUCN listed as an Endangered species, which applies throughout their whole range. The commercial motivation for using this dolphin species is high because it can live in freshwater tanks and the high cost of marine aquarium systems is avoided. [35] Malampaya Sound Ecological Studies Project was initiated by the WWF. [6] Mercury poisoning and habitat loss from gold-mining dredging operations in the river have been eliminated[53], In 2000, Malampaya Sound was proclaimed a protected seascape. The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia.It closely resembles the Australian snubfin dolphin (of the same genus, Orcaella) and was not described as a separate species until 2005. [40] In 2005, The World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) established the Cambodian Mekong Dolphin Conservation Project with support from government and local communities. [44], The Irrawaddy dolphin (under the common name of snubfin dolphin, with the scientific name misspelled as Oreaella brevezastris) is included the Indian Wildlife Protection Act,[45] Schedule I,[46] which bans their killing, transport and sale of products. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Surveys are usually conducted in March to May when dolphins congregate around deep pool areas in the low water. Irrawaddy dolphins are primarily threatened by bycatch, the accidental capture of aquatic animals in fishing gear. Khmer and Vietnamese fishermen have regarded the Orcaella as a sacred animal. Weaning is after two years. If caught in fishing nets, they release the dolphin from the rest of the catch. No range-wide survey has been conducted for this vulnerable species; however, the worldwide population appears to be over 7,000. [9][10] Traveling and staying in groups not only enables Irrawaddy dolphins to hunt, but it also creates and maintains social bonds and allows copulation to occur. This endangered cetacean has a distinctive appearance, with a round head and no beak. This quiz is intended to introduce you to concepts and certain important facts relevant to UPSC IAS civil services preliminary exam 2020. These prey entrapments occur slightly below the water surface level. The Irrawaddy dolphin is found in the Indian Ocean from the Bay of Bengal to Indonesia. Myanmar's people and history is a glorious mishmash of settlers and invaders from all fronts. In several Asian countries, Irrawaddy dolphins have been captured and trained to perform in public aquaria. [25], In Laos, a dam across the Mekong River is planned. They are generally found in groups of 2-3 animals, though sometimes as many as 25 individuals have been known to congregate in deep pools. No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died, Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population, Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild, Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild, Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future, Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened. All rights reserved. Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi is said to be 'missing' after a military junta moved her from house arrest to an undisclosed location as violent protests continue. [33] Entanglement in fishnets and degradation of habitats are the main threats to Irrawaddy dolphins. Their charismatic appearance and unique behaviors, including spitting water, spyhopping, and fluke-slapping, make them very popular for shows in dolphinaria.
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