March 27, 2024
PHNOM PENH – A sighting of the sixth Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin calf born in Cambodia this year has been confirmed, with officials describing the number of births so far in 2024 as “special”.
Despite the deaths of two of the six freshwater dolphins, the birth rate looks to be trending well above previous years. Just eight births were recorded in the whole of 2023, and only six in 2022.
The newest addition to the Kingdom’s population of the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) was spotted by river guards from the Fisheries Administration (FiA) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cambodia, at Kampong Cham commune’s Anlong Koh Pdao area in Kratie province’s Sambor district on March 25. It was found swimming with two adults.
Ouk Vibol, director of the FiA’s Fisheries Conservation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, explained on March 26 that despite the tragic loss of two calves this year, the population appeared to be improving.
“By comparison, just one birth was recorded in the first three months of 2023 and sadly it passed away,” he said.
“This year is a special one, because we have seen four young dolphins survive. This is great news for the future of these precious creatures, as their numbers will increase year-on-year,” he added.
Vibol shared his concerns that the two deaths may have been caused by illegal fishing equipment, but also conceded that infant calves were sometimes attacked by older males who want to get close to their mothers.
“We must not ignore either of these threats. We are always prepared to deploy a rescue team to separate male dolphins from a female and her young, in order to prevent attacks. We also instruct fishermen to avoid fishing too near to the dolphins deep pools, because they could accidentally trap one of these mammals,” he said.
He reiterated that the use of fishing nets with holes larger than 4cm is banned within the dolphin’s habitat, and also called on local fishermen to notify the FiA whenever they see a newborn, or a male dolphin attacking a female and her young.
Seng Teak, country director of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cambodia, applauded the “fantastic” news about the sighting of the new addition to the Kingdom’s dolphin population. He believes the birth would serve as motivation for all stakeholders to continue their conservation efforts, whether conducting patrols or cracking down on fisheries crimes.
“We all need to participate and eliminate the challenges faced by the dolphins. We need to prevent the use of illegal fishing equipment, especially around the dolphin habitats,” he said.
The rare species is listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Cambodia is estimated to be home to slightly more than 90 individual freshwater dolphins, all of them in Stung Treng and neighbouring Kratie provinces.