Sacred and Endangered - the dolphins of the Mekong!

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The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is thought to be restricted to a 190 km stretch of the Mekong River in Cambodia. © WCS / Peter Davidson

The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is found in a few locations in South and Southeast Asia. One of 3 exclusively freshwater populations lives in the deep water of the Upper Mekong River between Laos and Cambodia and possibly, the Sekong River.

Cambodian myth
According to Cambodian myth, people believed that the Irrawaddy Dolphin is a fair maiden with the body of a fish.

As the story goes, a beautiful maiden was forced by her parents to marry a magical python but decided to cast herself into the Mekong River. Her suicide bid failed and she was transformed into a dolphin.

Threats
The dolphin is regarded as a sacred animal by both Khmer and Lao, and is rarely hunted and consumed as food by local people.

However, quite often it becomes accidentally entangled in fishing nets. As a result, the population of the Irrawaddy Dolphin, estimated to be as low as 70-100 individuals, is decreasing at an alarming speed. Its habitat is also vulnerable to dams and other infrastructure development in the area.

Ecotourism development
Nevertheless, the future potential for conservation of the Irrawaddy Dolphin may well lie with ecotourism development.

The good news is that the Cambodian government has already planned to set up a new tourist destination based on dolphin watching in Kratie province besides the unique historical temple of Angkor Wat.

If the plan works well, it is hoped that the economic incomes from tourists will at last protect the last remaining and precarious population of this human-like river dolphin, before it is simply too late.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DOLPHIN WATCHING IN THE MEKONG RIVER

The following material has been prepared by Isabel Beasley, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), with support of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) - for more information click here!

Guidelines for responsible tourism have been developed in association with the Cambodian Department of Fisheries, the Mekong River Dolphin Research and Conservation Program and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, WDCS. Please follow the guidelines listed below, to ensure the Irrawaddy dolphins are not harassed and are able to conduct their daily activities without harm or stress.

* TOURISTS AND OPERATORS MUST ENSURE THAT THEY RESPECT THE DOLPHIN-WATCHING CODE OF CONDUCT. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT DOLPHINS ARE NOT DISTURBED IN KAMPI POOL – THE MOST IMPORTANT DRY SEASON REFUGE IN THE MEKONG RIVER.

* THE PRICE PER BOAT TO VIEW THE DOLPHINS IN KAMPI POOL IS FIXED BY THE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES

PLEASE FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES TO HELP TO SAVE THE MEKONG RIVER DOLPHINS!

* IRRAWADDY DOLPHINS ARE SHY DOLPHINS, THAT WILL GENERALLY NOT APPROACH BOATS AND CERTAINLY WILL NOT BOW-RIDE – PLEASE DO NOT ASK YOU BOAT DRIVER TO CHASE OR HARASS THE DOLPHINS!! THE DRIVER KNOWS BEST AND WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD VIEW OF THE DOLPHINS – WITHOUT HARASSING THEM.

o DOLPHINS ARE HIGHLY INTELLIGENT ANIMALS, SENSITIVE TO DISTURBANCE AND CAN BE HIT BY VESSELS, INCLUDING THEIR PROPELLERS. WHEN WATCHING DOLPHINS, ALWAYS LET THEM DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS.

WHEN WATCHING IRRAWADDY DOLPHINS, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE GUIDELINES:

ALL dolphin-watching boats must be fitted with a propeller guard.

TURN OFF the motor once upstream of the dolphin group and then float downstream.

NEVER turn on the motor when dolphins are within 500m of the boat.

NEVER drive head on to, or move between, scatter or separate dolphins.

ALWAYS drive slowly and at the edges of the pool when using the motor.

SPECIAL care must be taken with mothers and young. Remember that mothers will be protective of their young, so always give them extra space and consideration.

NEVER try to swim with the dolphins, for your safety and theirs.

DO NOT dispose of any rubbish, litter or contaminants in the river.

For more information on resopnsible eco-tourism services please contact:

North by North East Travel Services
Tel: +66 (0) 4251 3572
Fax:+66 (0) 4251 3573
e-mail: info@ north-by-north-east.com
Web site: www.north-by-north-east.com