They can spit spouts of water from their mouths into the air. “First, we need to protect the dolphins from any kind of threat, so that the population can grow,” he said. We are concerned about the impending extinction of the Irrawaddy dolphin. Although Srey Sokkea and his fellow river guards are doing everything they can to save it. Unlike the iconic bottlenose variety, the Irrawaddy has a rounder face and long, sleek body. If you are holidaying in Southeast Asia then make sure you keep a weather eye for this mammal: to help you we've created a fact file, so you know exactly what to look out for. The Irrawaddy dolphin can be found in the following freshwater river systems: Mahakam (Indonesia); the Ayeyarwady, previously called Irrawaddy (Burma); and finally, the Mekong (Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam). The Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project uses tourism as a tool for conservation. We generate income for fishermen and their families, providing incentives to reduce threats to dolphins (electrofishing, drift nets, poisoning). The Irrawaddy dolphin is a sacred animal in Cambodia and an important source of jobs and eco-tourism dollars, but it could soon be extinct in the Mekong. We can only hope the rare dolphin species is resilient and the oil is cleaned up quickly to help preserve the species and the sanctuary. Research says 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins lived in the area at the time. Irrawaddy Dolphins Disappearing from the Mekong River Isabel L. Beasley, Ph.D. As a result of intense competition with humans for freshwater resources, freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin populations are some of the most endangered of all cetacean species. Jamie did a video post about our homestay, which you can see here. The Irrawaddy is very cool because it has adapted to team up with fishermen.This helps the dolphin because while the dolphin chases the fish they will get stuck in the mud and some fish will become easy prey while they are confused by the nets movements. Visitors can also donate to support our conservation activities. In Cambodia, we did a homestay (like we did in the Mekong Delta, in Vietnam). You are our people. Pollution, river traffic, and indiscriminate fishing techniques – including the use of car batteries - have pushed the Irrawaddy dolphin to the very brink. At this point, its too soon to say how many ways the oil spill will affect the Irrawaddy dolphin species. Irrawaddy dolphins are characterful and have unusually expressive faces. There are many things that you can do to help the Irrawaddy dolphin, some of them being, 1. Become a member of conservation by January 31 and your donation of $1,000 or more will be matched. In the national level, with much information gathered we can ask for the help of policy makers and legislators in creating laws for protecting the Irrawaddy and their habitat. EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE ASIA-PACIFIC INITIATIVE. And, we made a stop to see the Irrawaddy river dolphins nearby. Our conservation linkages are the following. You Care. Irrawaddy dolphins look just like baby beluga whales, only with dorsal fins, but they are not closely related. Irrawaddy dolphins are found in coastal areas in South and Southeast Asia, and in three rivers: the Ayeyarwady (Myanmar), the Mahakam (Indonesian Borneo) and the Mekong. If we aren't careful then the dolphins could die out :( Asked in Dolphins and Porpoises, Taxonomy What is the scientific name for the irrawaddy dolphin? Get the latest from BBC News. Close coordination and development of techniques or even projects that the LGU can eventually adopt and be the ones responsible for sustaining. We conducted semi-structured questionnaire surveys in 30 villages (n = 299 interviewees) from 15th January to 5th June 2008, around the “Outer Channel” region, to assess the attitudes and perceptions of fishers towards Irrawaddy dolphins.Surveys were based on pilot informal group discussions conducted with fishers. “The alarming decline of Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins in Laos that we have witnessed this year is tragic,” Teak Seng, WWF Conservation Director for the Greater Mekong, said in a statement. They seem to do this … The Irrawaddy dolphin is an unusual looking creature, to be sure. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Sadly, this unique marine mammal is in danger of extinction, with an estimated population of only 300 in existence today. Living in both salt and freshwater, they swim in three rivers that wind through Myanmar, Indonesian Borneo, and the Mekong. These dolphins have a bulging … How tourism & fishing are helping to save Irrawaddy dolphins in Myanmar ... We wanted to help fish­ing com­munit­ies devel­op com­munity-based tour­ism in order to reduce the use of illeg­al fish­ing meth­ods and pro­mote the tra­di­tion of cooper­at­ive fish­ing with dol­phins.