Marine Wildlife

Marine Wildlife: Freshwater Dolphin River Welfare

Freshwater dolphins in South America and South Asia face existential welfare threats from river degradation, dam construction, and direct killing.

Key Facts

The Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is critically endangered with fewer than 4,000 remaining
Amazon river dolphins (Boto) are now listed as endangered following population decline
River dolphins navigate by echolocation in turbid waters where vision is limited
Dam construction fragments populations and prevents seasonal migration
Direct killing for fish bait and traditional medicine purposes continues in some areas

Welfare Considerations

Freshwater dolphins face welfare threats at every level - acute harm from entanglement, propeller strikes, and direct killing, and chronic harm from river degradation that reduces food availability and navigation complexity. Population fragmentation by dams isolates groups below viable size. The welfare crisis of freshwater dolphins is inseparable from the broader freshwater ecosystem crisis.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for sustainable dam design that includes fish and dolphin passes
Advocate for river dolphin protected areas in range countries
Choose seafood that does not involve fishing practices that bycatch river dolphins
Donate to organisations working to protect Ganges and Amazon river dolphin populations
Raise awareness that river dolphins face greater threats than marine cetaceans