Cambodia records 7th newborn rare dolphin in 2024

Another newborn Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin was spotted on Monday, raising the number of newborn dolphin calves in Cambodia to seven so far this year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said in a news release, reported Xinhua.

The newborn was sighted at the Kampi dolphin pool in Kratie province's Preaek Prasab district by a team of researchers from the Fisheries Administration and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

"This baby dolphin was seen swimming alongside a pod of three adult dolphins," the news release said. "It is the seventh dolphin calf born in 2024."

Since the start of this year, the Southeast Asian country has reported two baby dolphin deaths.

The Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins have been listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species since 2004.

Approximately 90 Irrawaddy dolphins live along a 180-km main channel of the Mekong River in northeast Stung Treng and Kratie provinces.