Cambodia’s dolphin population rises with six new calves
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Conservationists in Cambodia recently confirmed the births of six Irrawaddy dolphins along a 120-kilometer stretch of the Mekong River in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces, bringing the total population to an estimated 118 individuals.
These dolphins, considered sacred in Cambodia and Laos and important for ecotourism, have faced a steep decline since the late 1990s due to threats like electrofishing, habitat loss, and entanglement in fishing nets. Local communities benefit economically from dolphin-watching tourism.
Heang Koeurn, a boat driver, explained that people can earn income by taking tourists to view the dolphins. Ian Baird, a professor at the University of Wisconsin. Madison, also noted the dolphins are a source of national pride and could encourage further river protection. Despite the positive news, challenges remain. River guards patrol dolphin habitats with limited resources, earning between $5 and $7.50 per day, and face danger from illegal fishers.
Over 160 dams throughout the Mekong Basin have also altered the river’s ecosystem, impacting the dolphins’ food supply. In 2014, the Cambodian Fisheries Administration and WWF-Cambodia began working together to balance conservation efforts with the needs of local fishers, and officials report gillnet use within protected areas is now limited.
