A male Irrawaddy dolphin of about 20 years old was found dead in its habitat in Koh Preah commune, Siem Bok district, Stung Treng northeastern province on Mar. 19.
According to the Fisheries Administration’s news release, this is the first dead case in 2023. The adult dolphin is 238 centimetres long and weighs 160 kilogrammes.
An examination of the dolphin carcass led the members of the Fisheries Administration-WWF’s research team to suggest that the dolphin died due to entanglement in gillnet, it added.
The Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) are fully protected under Cambodia’s Fisheries Law. The population is ranked as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, the highest international threat ranking for endangered species.
Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins are a living natural treasure with about 90 individuals currently living along the Mekong River in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse