PHNOM PENH - Two more baby dolphins have been spotted in Cambodia, showing encouraging signs of further stabilisation of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin population in Cambodia.
The World Wildlife Fund said on Tuesday that WWF-Cambodia welcomed the births of two dolphin calves in the Mekong Flooded Forest Landscape in Kratie province, the Khmer Times reported on Wednesday.
The first calf was spotted on Friday by locals from Prek Kreing village in Sambo district, who reported the sighting to WWF officials.
Camera in hand, freshwater project assistant Tan Bunwath visited the location immediately to take detailed photos confirming the first new born, believed to be two or three weeks old.
On Sunday, another calf, suspected to be only a few days old, was sighted by local people and the WWF research team at the Kampi deep pool 16 kilometres from Kratie town.
WWF-Cambodia Country Director Seng Teak reflected on the good news: “I am so happy to hear about the successful recruitment of the two new calves into the population.
“Without our dedicated river guards and tireless field work, we would not be able to welcome these new-born dolphins,” he said.
According to a WWF report, two dolphins died and eight dolphin births were recorded since January.
The dolphin is labelled a critically endangered species on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature red list.
There are only an estimated 80 adults left in the Mekong River.