Two Mekong Dolphins swim in Deep and unflow zone of Mekong River in Southern Laos to hunt small fish.

The Mekong Dolphin or known as Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris, called paa khaa in Laos) is a species of dolphin found near coasts and freshwater rivers and lakes in parts of south-east Asia.

Length is about 1 m at birth and 2.5 m at full maturity. Birth weight is about 10 kg. Adult weight exceeds 130 kg. Lifespan is about 30 years.

In existence since the Holocence epoch, these small, bluish grey-to-black cetaceans swim in small pods of two to ghree individuals.

Although sometimes called the Irrawaddy River Dolphin, it is not a true river dolphin but an oceanic dolphin that lives near coasts and enters rivers. It has been recorded in the Padma River in Bangladesh, Ayeyarwady River in Myanmar, and the Mekong in Laos and Cambodia.

The dolphin's continued existence is threatened by gill netting and bomb fishing in the lower Mekong and its tributaries, where its overal numbers have decine to an estimated 100-300. In the Si Phan Don area there may be only 20-50 left.

The laos-based Siphandone Wetlands Project, is making efforts to encourage Lao fishermen to use traditional bamboo fish traps and small hand nets - along with the creation of deep-water conservation zones in waters 10 to 60m deep between Don Khon, Don Sadam and Cambodia site. 

Source: suthepk