New-Born Irrawaddy Dolphin Found Dead
The dolphin weighed 10kg, was 87cm long and was about four days old, the Agriculture Ministry said. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture
- By Phoung Vantha
- April 20, 2023 11:55 AM
PHNOM PENH – A baby Irrawaddy dolphin was found dead on April 19, marking the second death of the critically endangered species this year.
Authorities suspected that it became trapped in gill nets in Boeung Chreng village in Kratie province.
The dolphin weighed 10kg, was 87cm long and was about four days old, the Agriculture Ministry said.
On March 19, an Irrawaddy dolphin was found dead in its habitat at Siem Bouk district in Stung Treng province.
Two dolphin births have been counted this year.
In January, Prime Minister Hun Sen called for more protection to prevent the extinction of Irrawaddy dolphins in Cambodia.
In February, he designated a 120km protection and conservation stretch of river.
The zone, which runs from the Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge in Stung Treng city to Koh Trung island in Kratie province, prohibits fishing with gillnets and illegal equipment.
The latest dolphin general census, carried out in 2020, found only 89 dolphins. However, eleven dolphins died in 2022, bringing the number of dolphin deaths to 29 in the last three years.
