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Irrawaddy Freshwater Dolphins in the Mekong River Threatened |
A recent study by James Cook University in Australia and Can Tho University has noted that freshwater dolphins have nearly disappeared from the Mekong River basin in Vietnam.
However, occasionally, solitary dolphins can be spotted migrating from Cambodia to sections of the Tien and Hau Rivers in Vietnam, near the Cambodian border.
Mekong River dolphins are a unique species, with only about 150 individuals remaining and a high mortality rate of approximately 18 per year. They primarily inhabit a range of about 190 kilometers along the Mekong River from Kratie to the Cambodia-Laos border.
Some reports indicate the occasional presence of dolphins quite deep in the Hau River estuary, but it has not yet been determined whether they are Mekong River dolphins or saltwater dolphins that move upstream from the coastal areas into the Hau River.
The research team has collected data and proposed that the conservation of freshwater dolphins (if they are still present) in the Mekong River basin is deemed essential by the local community, especially concerning social significance, spiritual beliefs, and providing opportunities for future generations to witness this special species.
