Good news from the Mekong River! 🌊🐬
Cambodia's critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins are making a splash back into the scene! According to Dith Tina, the country's minister of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, the population has jumped to around 105 dolphins. That's a fin-tastic increase! 😃
During the 19th National Fish Day celebration in Prey Chhor district, Tina shared, \"For the first six months of 2024, eight newborn Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin calves were recorded, with only two deaths. This is exciting news!\"
Just to give you some perspective, a census in 2020 by the World Wide Fund for Nature and Cambodia's Fisheries Administration estimated only 89 dolphins. So, this rise is something worth cheering about! 🎉
These unique dolphins, known for their charming smiles, have been listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List since 2004. They call a 180-kilometer stretch of the Mekong River in northeastern Cambodia home, specifically in the Stung Treng and Kratie provinces.
This comeback story is a ray of hope not just for Cambodia but for conservation efforts worldwide. 🌍 Let's keep supporting and protecting these amazing creatures!
Reference(s):
Cambodia sees rise in number of endangered freshwater dolphins
cgtn.com
