Birth of the first Mekong dolphin of the year

Tourists, accompanied by their guides, spotted a newborn in the Mekong River last Monday, near Kapi. It was an Irrawaddy dolphin, a species that has been endangered for the past 15 years.

The cetacean, born on Friday, January 25, was seen swimming with adults of its species. It is the first newborn of the year, according to a report from WWF Cambodia. It is the 93rd living Mekong dolphin currently. This family of mammals resides along a 190-kilometer stretch between Kratié and the Khone Falls at the Laotian border. In its report, the NGO stated that this birth "reflects the positive outcome of the joint conservation efforts for the Irrawaddy dolphins between WWF Cambodia and conservation partners - such as the Ministries of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Environment; Tourism; fishing communities; tourism agencies; provincial, district, and commune authorities; and many other partners." Nine babies were recorded in 2018.

A progressive evolution

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which classifies animal species according to their risk of extinction, placed the Irrawaddy dolphin in the critically endangered category in 2004. This label precedes the categories of "extinct in the wild" and "extinct". At that time, their population was fewer than 50 individuals. It became imperative to implement emergency rescue plans.

(IUCN scale, classifying the Mekong dolphin in 2004)

The identified threats include various industrial fishing methods, such as the use of electric nets or nets made from mesh alloys. These processes cause significant degradation of the animal's natural habitat, which can also be severely disturbed by the harmful acoustics from nearby gold mines. The proposed construction of hydroelectric dams is a major concern for the defenders of the Irrawaddy dolphins. They believe such dams would lead to an ecological disaster.

Over the past 15 years, the work of NGOs dedicated to protecting the species has led to its classification as endangered. The birth of this 93rd individual further supports this progress. "WWF supports 72 river guards based at 16 outposts in the Kratie and Stung Treng provinces. The organization provides the necessary equipment and training to strengthen the capacity of these river guards. They regularly patrol to protect against illegal fishing activities in the Mekong in order to conserve the Irrawaddy dolphins. We are grateful for their service," said the NGO.  

Thibault Bourru