The Bolivian river dolphin, long threatened by habitat destruction and overfishing in the Amazon, has just received protection from Bolivian President Evo Morales. The subspecies of the shockingly pink Amazon river dolphin has been declared a national treasure in its home country, and fishing for the dolphins, which can reach up to 440 pounds, has been banned.The IUCN previously listed the dolphins as “vulnerable,” but now that status has been changed to data deficient because in some parts of the species’ range, especially where protections are in place, they are relatively abundant, but it’s unknown how many individuals exist in total. On the other hand, CITES has listed the Bolivian subspecies as threatened due to habitat degradation and water pollution caused by (often illegal) logging and mining operations. So while fishing for the dolphins is banned, the habitat destruction that’s rampant in the Amazon basin is still a threat.
Morales did say during a ceremony that he expects Bolivian authorities to protect the river dolphin’s habitat, which hopefully will translate into actual enforcement. In any case, it’s great news for one of the world’s few — and possibly coolest-looking — freshwater dolphins. Oh, and in case you’re wondering (I know you are), the dolphins aren’t pink because of what they eat, like flamingos are, but likely because they’re permanently blushing, thanks to thin skin and a large network of near-surface blood vessels.Follow Derek Mead on Twitter: @derektmead.
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