WWF-Laos has been deeply saddened by the loss of the Mekong dolphin, as it was found dead on Feb 15, in the transboundary pool between Laos and Cambodia.
This death most likely represents a national-level extinction for Laos. The population was publicly declared functionally extinct in 2016 when only a few dolphins were left.
There are 6 species of river dolphins and sadly all of them are at risk of extinction. Their biggest direct threats are accidental entanglement in fishing nets. All six species are also classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
In Laos, the only place where we can find the Mekong River Dolphins (also known as Irrawaddy Dolphins) is in the Cheuteal trans-boundary pool between southern Laos and northern Cambodia.
These river dolphins are an iconic species associated with the Four Thousand Islands (Siphandone), and the decrease in number especially from the two that found dead in the mid of 2021 and the recent one this year, Feb 15, has given us a sign of a national-level extinction for Laos. The population was publicly declared functionally extinct in 2016 when only a few dolphins were left while in Cambodia, there are an estimated 89 dolphins left, according to surveys conducted in 2020.
WWF remains committed to working with governments, local authorities from both Cambodia and Laos, and communities along the river to secure a sustainable future for these iconic river dolphins and other important species. With due attention, resources, and sustained conservation effort, the recovery of these and other iconic species is still possible.
Source: Lao News Agency