{"id":40480,"date":"2024-07-31T14:06:27","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T12:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fd583a60-727f-4e7f-9cea-eacd31d0e3ba"},"modified":"2024-07-31T15:27:44","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T13:27:44","slug":"amazon-river-dolphin-guide-learn-all-about-this-beautiful-pink-dolphin-and-how-it-differs-to-its-ocean-cousins","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/amazon-river-dolphin-guide-learn-all-about-this-beautiful-pink-dolphin-and-how-it-differs-to-its-ocean-cousins\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon River dolphin guide: Learn all about this beautiful pink dolphin and how it differs to its ocean cousins."},"content":{"rendered":"

All you need to know about the amazing Amazon River Dolphin from the experts at Whale and Dolphin Conservation <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 31 July 2024 at 12:06 PM<\/p>

\n\n

One of around five species of river dolphin<\/a>, the iconic pink Amazon River dolphin features in many myths and legends of\u00a0indigenous Amazon communities.<\/strong><\/p>

Learn all about these captivating creatures in this fascinating expert guide from Whale and Dolphin Conversation<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>

What does the Amazon River dolphin look like?<\/h2>
Amazon River dolphins look very different to marine dolphins. Firstly, they\u2019re pink! Born grey, adult Amazon River dolphins turn pink or pinkish-grey as they mature, with males being both bigger and pinker than females. <\/p>
Whale vs dolphin: what’s the difference between these mysterious denizens of the ocean?<\/a><\/li>
Analysis of skulls reveals that river dolphins in South Asia are two separate species<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
That\u2019s not the only difference,\u00a0though. With low ridge-like dorsal fins, long, skinny snouts, plump bodies, chubby cheeks and round, bulbous foreheads, they have developed a unique look of their own.\u00a0Babies are born a bluish-grey colour and they get pinker\u00a0as they age.\u00a0Their\u00a0flippers\u00a0are large, paddle-like\u00a0and have a wide\u00a0range of motion.\u00a0Their bodies are\u00a0very flexible and capable of twisting laterally\u00a0and they can swim backwards.\u00a0Their cheeks are wide and protruding\u00a0and\u00a0the melon\u00a0(head)\u00a0is not compact\u00a0and firm,\u00a0like other dolphins,\u00a0but protuberant and soft, capable of changing its shape by voluntary muscle contraction and during echolocation<\/a>.Mature males are pinker than females, which could be to do with their penchant for fighting. As wounds heal, they are covered with pink scar tissue, which\u00a0eventually replaces\u00a0their grey skin.\u00a0<\/p>
Their tail flukes are often ragged along the edges,\u00a0as a result of\u00a0interactions with each other.Males are both longer and heavier than females.<\/p>
How big are Amazon River dolphins?<\/h2>
Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Male Amazon River dolphins are about\u00a02.5m in length, while females are just a little shorter at around 2.25m. Males also weigh more at 207kg, while females weigh between 141 -153.5kg\u00a0depending on whether they are pregnant or not<\/p>
Calves are just\u00a00.8m in length and weigh 12kg<\/p>
How well can Amazon River dolphins see?<\/h2>
Despite their\u00a0fairly small\u00a0eyes, Amazon\u00a0River dolphins\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0struggle to\u00a0see\u00a0and,\u00a0in fact, their eyesight is\u00a0very\u00a0good, both\u00a0below\u00a0and above\u00a0the\u00a0water\u2019s surface. Aided by their unfused neck vertebrae, they can get a good look at their underwater worlds by turning their heads in all directions and checking things out from every angle.<\/p>
Animal vision: how do animals see?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Where do Amazon River dolphins live?<\/strong><\/h2> $\"Amazon$
Diogo Luiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0, via Wikimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Despite the understandable connection people often make with dolphins and the open ocean, Amazon River dolphins only live in fresh\u00a0water \u2013 often thousands of\u00a0kilometres\u00a0from the sea.<\/p>
Living in huge rivers, small tributaries, lakes, flooded forests and submerged grasslands, Amazon River dolphins can be found in seven countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia,<\/a> Ecuador<\/a>, Guyana<\/a>, Peru<\/a> and Venezuela.\u00a0These include resident populations throughout the Amazon and\u00a0Orinoco\u00a0river\u00a0systems, as well as in the Araguaia River in Brazil.<\/p>
What do Amazon River dolphins eat?<\/h2>
Amazon River dolphins have one of the widest ranging diets among toothed whales and feed on up to 53 different species of fish such as\u00a0croakers,\u00a0catfish,\u00a0tetras\u00a0and\u00a0 piranhas.<\/a> They also consume other animals such as\u00a0river turtles, aquatic frogs, and\u00a0freshwater crabs.<\/p>
How do they track their prey?<\/strong><\/h3>
Amazon River dolphins have lithe, manoeuvrable bodies.\u00a0They are dexterous swimmers\u00a0andcan easily weave their way through submerged trees and shrubs to find food. Amazon River dolphins are natural underwater gymnasts, swimming backwards, upside down and pivoting, assisted by\u00a0large, paddle-shaped flippers that they can circle independently of each other. This is helpful when prey is quick and prone to take\u00a0refuge in hard-to-reach places.<\/p>
Do they use teamwork when feeding?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>
It\u2019s difficult to be\u00a0sure about all their hunting activities.\u00a0Underwater observations are\u00a0extremely\u00a0difficult in the Amazon,\u00a0as the turbid river water makes it murky with no clear view below the surface.<\/p>
How many teeth do\u00a0Amazon River dolphins have?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>
They have around 25 to 28 pairs of long,\u00a0slender teeth to each side of both jaws. They\u00a0differ in shape and length for grabbing and crushing prey.<\/p>
Amazon River dolphins are the only dolphins who have\u00a0heterodont dentition \u2013\u00a0the equivalent of molar teeth\u00a0\u2013\u00a0much\u00a0as\u00a0we\u00a0do. <\/p>
They use these teeth to crunch up their food before swallowing.\u00a0This enables them to eat hard prey\u00a0such as\u00a0river crabs\u00a0and small turtles. They can cut large catfish and\u00a0big,\u00a0armoured fish into smaller pieces before swallowing them.\u00a0(This is significant as all other dolphins have\u00a0only\u00a0conical teeth.)<\/p>
How fast can Amazon River dolphins swim?<\/strong><\/h2>Is it ever ok to swim with dolphins?<\/a><\/li>
How to help a beached whale or dolphin – and help save its life<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Do they come to the surface for long?<\/strong><\/h3>
They are not deep divers and spend a lot of time near or at the surface.\u00a0<\/p>
Do Amazon River dolphins form pods, like their marine cousins?<\/h2>
Amazon River dolphins tend to live in small pods.\u00a0During high water season, mothers and calves\u00a0and immature Amazon River dolphins\u00a0stay together\u00a0in\u00a0flooded areas,\u00a0such as lakes and smaller rivers\u00a0in the flooded forest. Males will travel further\u00a0afield\u00a0in the main rivers\u00a0looking for\u00a0opportunities to mate with\u00a0other groups of\u00a0females.<\/p>
When do Amazon river dolphins mate?<\/h2>
As water levels fall the dolphins leave the flooded forest and grasslands.\u00a0At low water,\u00a0fish and dolphins are restricted to main rivers, deeper channels and lakes\u00a0\u2013\u00a0and the fish are\u00a0more concentrated. This is the time most\u00a0dolphin\u00a0mating takes place.<\/p>
Did you know adult males carry sticks, branches and clumps of grass, and repeatedly toss them at the surface? Apparently this helps impress the girls… <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>
How long will the calf stay with its mother?<\/strong><\/h2>
The mother\u2019s care lasts a long\u00a0time\u00a0and reproductively active females spend most of their lives accompanied by a dependant offspring (they can be pregnant and nursing at the same time). Lactation lasts from one and half to more than five and a half years<\/p>
Do they interact with other species of whale\u00a0or\u00a0dolphin?<\/strong><\/h2>
There is\u00a0only one\u00a0other dolphin\u00a0species\u00a0\u2013 the tucuxi or\u00a0sotalia\u00a0\u2013\u00a0whose habitat overlaps.\u00a0Sotalia\u00a0dolphins live in freshwater rivers and lakes but do not enter the flooded forest. Amazon River dolphins and\u00a0sotalia\u00a0hunt fish\u00a0in the same\u00a0river confluence hotspots,\u00a0and\u00a0they\u00a0coexist in rivers\u00a0and lakes. Occasionally\u00a0they swim\u00a0together\u00a0and are seen interacting. \u00a0<\/p>
What sounds do\u00a0Amazon River dolphins\u00a0make?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>
Botos produce a wide variety of sounds: echolocation clicks, whistles and pulsed calls that include screams, barks, squeals, squarks, creaks, cracks and whimpers!<\/p>
How long do Amazon River dolphins live?<\/strong><\/h2>
The\u00a0lifespan of an Amazon River dolphin \u00a0is unknown but the oldest recorded female was estimated to be 32 years old. Females over 25 years of age continue to reproduce.<\/p>
Do they have natural predators?<\/strong><\/h2>
We\u00a0humans are their biggest threat, whether it\u2019s deliberate hunting for bait in the\u00a0piracatingafishery, entanglement in fishing nets,\u00a0dam construction,\u00a0gold mining\u00a0or climate change.<\/p>
Are\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon River\u00a0<\/strong>d<\/strong>olphins\u00a0<\/strong>endangered?<\/strong><\/h2>
They are officially listed by the IUCN as\u00a0Endangered.\u00a0Populations are fragmented and continue to\u00a0decline,\u00a0as more botos are dying than being born.<\/p>
Does the Amazon River dolphin have other names?<\/strong><\/h2>
The Amazon River dolphin is also known as the Boto;\u00a0bufeo;\u00a0Araguaian\u00a0dolphin; Bolivian\u00a0river dolphin;\u00a0pink river dolphin.<\/p>
What is its scientific name?<\/strong><\/h2>
Inia\u00a0geoffrensis<\/p>
What is the classification?<\/strong><\/h2>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kingdom: Animalia<\/p>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u200b\u00a0Phylum: Chordata<\/p>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Class: Mammalia<\/p>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Order:\u00a0Artiodactyla<\/p>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Infraorder: Cetacea<\/p>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Family:\u00a0Iniidae<\/p>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Genus:\u00a0Inia\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
When\u00a0<\/strong>were<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon River\u00a0<\/strong>d<\/strong>olphins\u00a0<\/strong>first\u00a0<\/strong>discovered<\/strong>?<\/strong><\/h2>
They were first described to science in\u00a01817.<\/p>
Top image: Getty images<\/p>
Discover other fascinating dolphin species<\/strong><\/p>
Bottlenose dolphin guide: where they live, what threats they face and just how intelligent they are<\/a><\/li>
Risso’s dolphin guide: how they feed, where they live and why they are so heavily scarred<\/a><\/li>
Orca guide: diet, how they hunt, and what they’re related to<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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