Earth Hour Cambodia

The Irrawaddy dolphin is critically endangered and only 89 individuals still swim in the Mekong River in Cambodia. The presence of the dolphins indicates ecological quality and high levels of biodiversity along the River that provide essential life support for people, animals and plants, as well as generating livelihood opportunities for economic development.
This Earth Hour, let’s become the voice for nature and help spread the word about Mekong dolphin and fisheries conservation.

100Kg Dolphin Found Dead

Cambodia News (Stueng Treng): On April 22, 2021, the river guard reported that a 100kg dolphin was found dead floating on the river near the bush in Anlong Svay village, Borey Svaysenchey district, Steung Treng.

The forestry officer, in collaboration with the WWF conservation team, went to the scene to examine the dolphin's body. The dolphin was aged about 20 years old, weighed over 100kg, and 2 meters in length. It might have died 5 to 7 days ago. The body was rotten, so the specialist officer couldn't determine if it was male or female, but it died of a physical disease.

Third Calf of Mekong’s Irrawaddy Dolphin Born
AKP Phnom Penh, May 21, 2021 --

The Mekong’s Irrawaddy Dolphin welcomes the 3rd calf to its population this month, while its mortality rate sparks concerns, according to a press release from WWF AKP received this afternoon.

The Government’s Fisheries Administration-WWF’s Mekong Dolphin Research Team confirmed this week the record of this calf after the team took photographs of it on May 16, 2021 while swimming among other seven adult animals in their Kampi pool, Kratie province.

The researchers estimated the new calf was then about ten days old based on their analysis of the dolphin photographs. In total, three calves are recorded between January and May 2021, while six newborns were recorded during the same times last year.
- AKP

Yes! Another baby dolphin born in Kampi, Kratie.

Research Team Filled with Joy with New Dolphin Calf Birth
AKP Phnom Penh, May 24, 2021 --
Photo WWF
The Fisheries Administration-WWF’s Mekong Dolphin Research Team has been filled with joy after another newborn dolphin calf has been recorded for the Mekong’s Irrawaddy dolphin population, according to WWF-Cambodia.

This is the fourth newborn dolphin for 2021, underlined the same source, adding that the research team estimated this new calf was about two days old when they spotted it on May 21 swimming alongside other ten adult dolphins in the Kampi pool, Kratie province.

On May 21, WWF published a statement to welcome the third calf birth while urging more actions to save the species from going extinct in the Mekong River.

The Mekong’s Irrawaddy dolphin is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. The 2020 census of its population by the Fisheries Administration and WWF showed only 89 individuals still swim in the Mekong River.

Between January and May 2021, the research team unfortunately recorded four dolphin mortalities of which one adult died by the entanglement in gillnet and the other adult died due to old age, while the cause the calf death is unknown.

With similar mortality rate recorded between January and May 2020, WWF’s scientists find the trend worrisome and urge the need of even more collective actions and stronger conservation measures to save the species from extinction.
C. Nika, AKP

Dead Dolphin Suspected Victim of Illegal Fishing

Cambodia News (Steung Treng province): On June 14, 2021, in Anlong Svay village, Preah Rokel commune, Borey Oursvay Sen Chey district, an endangered Mekong river dolphin, weighed 180kg, was found dead in the river.

According to the river wildlife guard, he suspected that the dolphin was killed by the illegal fishermen who used prohibited fishing tools. This was not the first incident; on April 22, a 100kg dolphin was also found dead in Sastra village close to this recent incident.
The wildlife specialists are still investigating to find out the cause of the dolphin's death.

Good news! 5 dolphin births recorded in Cambodia so far this year.

Another Mekong Dauphin Calf Spotted at Kampi Pool
AKP Phnom Penh, July 01, 2021 --

A new dolphin calf of less than a week old has been recorded recently at Kampi deep pool in Sambok commune, Chetr Borei district, Kratie province, Mr. Ouk Vibol, Director of Department of Fisheries Conservation of the Fisheries Administration told AKP this morning.

The calf was spotted on June 28 swimming along with nine adult dolphins by the Fisheries Administration-WWF’s Mekong Dolphin Research Team, he pointed out.

This is the fifth Irrawaddy dolphin calf in the Mekong population for 2021, Mr. Ouk Vibol added.

In 2020, a total of 9 dolphin calves were recorded, while in 2019, there were 13 calves.

The Mekong’s Irrawaddy dolphin is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. The 2020 census of its population by the Fisheries Administration and WWF showed only 89 individuals still swim in the Mekong River.
C. Nika, AKP

More "baby" photos from Kratie:

The Mekong dolphins are disappearing...

Border pool dolphins down to just one
Mom Kunthear | Publication date 25 October 2021 | 21:27 ICT
Dolphin conservation groups and government officials are expressing grave concerns over the decline in the number of dolphins present at the Chheu Teal trans-boundary pool of the Mekong River at the Laos-Cambodia border, saying that if this alarming trend is not halted, it will lead to the extinction of this important mammal.

The joint press release on October 24 stated that the isolated population of Irrawaddy dolphins residing in the Chheu Teal trans-boundary pool is on the verge of disappearing.

Periodic photo-identification surveys indicate that the number of dolphins fell from seven in 2009 to six in 2012 and then three in 2018 and now just one dolphin remains there in 2021.

The Dolphin population in the trans-boundary pool was small to begin with but it began sinking even lower due to changes to the Mekong River upstream from the pool, the limited presence of law enforcement around the trans-boundary pool and natural deaths to due aging.

Poum Sotha, Director General of Fisheries Administration, said that the near-total disappearance of the trans-boundary dolphin population is an alarming signal about what the future holds for the world’s threatened species.

The very small trans-boundary population of dolphins – which is thought to have been isolated for some time from the larger groups downstream in Kratie and Stung Treng – is essentially lost, said Dr. Randall Reeves, Chairman of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission’s Cetacean Specialist Group.

“We are witnessing the tragic loss of the trans-boundary population of this iconic species. It’s truly devastating,” said Dr. Uzma Khan, Asia Coordinator for the River Dolphin Initiative at the WWF and a member of the IUCN-SSC Cetacean Specialist Group.
Full article: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... n-just-one

And now for some good news...
Another Mekong Dauphin Calf Spotted at Kampi Pool
AKP Phnom Penh, January 06, 2022 --

(Photo: WWF)
A new dolphin calf has been recorded recently at Kampi deep pool in Kratie province, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cambodia's news release issued this morning.

The calf was spotted on Dec. 31 swimming along with nine adult dolphins by the Fisheries Administration-WWF’s Mekong Dolphin Research Team, it pointed out.

This is the sixth Irrawaddy dolphin calf in the Mekong population for 2021, it added.

The birth record in 2020 by the Government’s Fisheries Administration and WWF showed a total of 9 dolphins. The latest population census of this globally important freshwater mammal species estimated just 89 individuals still swim in the Mekong River. Stronger and more collective actions are needed to protect them from going extinct in the river.
By Phal Sophanith
AKP

Dead Dolphin Found on Koh Trong
Cambodia News, Kratie Province: The carcasse of a dead dolphin was found washed up on the beach of the island of Koh Trong on the Mekong river in Kratie province.

The dead dolphin was found at 11:00am on January 8, 2022 at Kbal Koh village, Koh Trong commune, just across the river from Kratie city, and was reported to the Koh Trong Sangkat Administration Post for inspection.

The cause of death is still under investigation.