New Hope for Endangered Dolphins

The endangered irrawaddy dolphin species has increased to over 100 in Cambodia, according to the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Dith Tina.

The Irrawaddy dolphin has long been on the brink of extinction, and according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), around 2016 there were only 80 individuals left, largely due to illegal fishing and environmental degradation in the form of plastics that somehow end up in the water.

“Right now, we have about 105 dolphins,” says Dith Tina, who says the authorities have been taking steps to protect the species for some time, including cracking down on poaching.

Irrawaddy dolphins are small, shy creatures with arched foreheads that once inhabited large parts of the Mekong Delta.

In the first six months of the year, eight baby dolphins were born, but two of them have since died.