IRRAWADDY DOLPHINS ARE IN DANGER!

First of all, “Ku nyi kya bar,” means to ask for help with an exclamation mark.

Anyways, the Irrawaddy Dolphins, also known as the Mekong River dolphins, are mammals that are oceanic dolphins that have established themselves in freshwater rivers such as the Ganges, Mekong, Irrawaddy, and so on.

To describe Irrawaddy Dolphins, they are grey but mostly pale on their bellies. They have a very rounded head and no back fins. They do have wide and broad flippers. They can weigh up to 90 kg to 200 kg!

Digital Illustration by Anne Marie Cornelius

Sadly, these mammals are on the endangered species list. These dolphins’ biggest problem is the threat of drowning in fishing nets. It is documented that between 1995 and 2001, 38 Irrawaddy Dolphins died this way.

Another thing that is endangering Irrawaddy Dolphins are noise pollution. Noise pollution causes these dolphins to deep diver and making them lose air, leading to death. These are only some ways that are causing these dolphins to suffer and lose their lives. Knowing that the Irrawaddy Dolphins are dying tragically is, indeed, unpleasant to learn about. It must be extremely difficult for the dolphins to survive under these conditions.

After getting informed about the endangered status of Irrawaddy Dolphins, marine biologist marine mammal trainers are taking care of the dolphins and they are now safer than before. However, there is still work to be done.