Wild Freshwater Dolphin Conservation

Freshwater dolphins are among the most endangered cetaceans, declining from pollution, fishing bycatch, and river development.

Key Facts

Six river dolphin species and populations exist including Amazon pink dolphins, Ganges river dolphins, and Irrawaddy dolphins
The baiji of the Yangtze went functionally extinct by 2006, the first modern cetacean extinction
Amazon river dolphins (botos) are Endangered and declining from mercury pollution, dams, and bycatch
Ganges river dolphins (Platanista gangetica) are Endangered with fewer than 4,000 individuals
River dolphins have reduced eyes and navigate by echolocation in murky river water
Bycatch in fishing nets is a primary mortality cause across all river dolphin populations
The IUCN declared river dolphins among the most threatened mammals globally in 2020

Welfare Considerations

River dolphins face multiple simultaneous welfare threats. Bycatch entanglement causes drowning - these obligate air breathers suffocate in nets within minutes. Mercury from gold mining accumulates in river dolphin tissues causing neurological damage. Dam construction fragments populations and disrupts reproductive movements. Each of these threats causes significant individual suffering and reduces already small populations further. The baiji's extinction demonstrates the ultimate endpoint without intervention.

What You Can Do

Support WWF River Dolphin programs and species-specific conservation organizations
Advocate for fishing gear modifications reducing bycatch risk in river dolphin habitats
Oppose dam construction in critical river dolphin habitat without adequate mitigation measures
Support mercury-free gold mining alternatives and regulations in Amazon river dolphin range
Donate to Ganges river dolphin protection programs in India and Nepal
Learn about the baiji's extinction as motivation for urgent action on remaining river dolphin species