Pink river dolphins are super agile, as the vertebrae in their necks are unfused, unlike other dolphins. All rights reserved. Why are They Endangered. Humans are the only threat to Amazon river dolphins, hunting them for catfish bait or trapping them accidentally in gill nets. The Amazon pink river dolphin can change its color! Living up to 30 years, they also have unusually large brains, with roughly 40% more brain capacity than humans. On average, Amazon river dolphins weigh between 180 and 220 pounds. This is another adaptation for life in the close quarters of the river, and allows the Amazon river dolphin to turn its head 90 degrees. Explore and learn everything about Amazon River Dolphins, download Amazon River Dolphin wallpapers and Amazon River Dolphin coloring pages. Subscribe our newsletter to get the latest offer. Are you an author? They range in size from the 5-foot (1.5 m) long South Asian river dolphin to the 8-foot (2.4 m) and 220-pound (100 kg) Amazon river dolphin. A locust plague hit East Africa. It is one of the species of toothed whales, called odontocetes. They eat around 50 species of Amazon fishes, including piranhas. They are also the most intelligent of the five living species of river dolphins. Females give birth to one calf after a pregnancy of 11 to 15 months. In addition, the animal can be easily identified by having a ridge on its back instead of a dorsal fin. The Amazon River Dolphin is a group of dolphins that primarily dwell in the South Americas waters, especially in the Amazon river. Pink dolphins have a powerful jaw. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. 3) These marine mammals are capable of using echolocation to search for food, navigate the rivers and maintain awareness of potential threats, even in environments t… U.S. fracking is driving it. Aqua Blu – Departures with Chef Benjamin Cross, Aqua Blu – Departures with historian Ian Burnet, Aqua Nera – Departures with chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, Aqua Mekong – Departures with chef David Thompson, Indonesia - Limited Repositioning Cruises, Please select the Destination, Departure Date and number of Suite. As its name suggests, the pink river dolphin is most recognizable by its unique color making it a huge draw for explorers of the Peruvian Amazon. A full-grown dolphin can grow up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) long, weigh up to 400 pounds (181 kilograms), and live to 30 years old. Measuring up to 9 feet (2.7 meters), and weighing up to 400 pounds (181 kilograms) – they are certainly massive. The Amazon pink river dolphin is the largest and smartest out of the five freshwater species. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Also known as the ‘Pink River Dolphin’ or the ‘Boto’, they are not to be confused with the marine pink dolphins. However, their final color can be influenced by their behavior, capillary placement, diet, and exposure to sunlight; with brighter pinks attracting more attention from the females. Sign up for more inspiring photos, stories, and special offers from National Geographic. Big winter snows in the North could be fueled by Arctic sea ice loss. Theyre also often deliberately killed for use as bait in the mota catfish fishery, which gathers fish that demand high prices in cities. Their brain capacity is 40% larger when compared to that of humans. When it is born, its color is gray and as it gets older it slowly turns pink. 1) The amazon river dolphin is one of around 4 known species of freshwater dolphin. They spend a lot of time underwater, and their shy and elusive behavior adds to their mythical quality. This fresh water dilutes the salinity of the sea water and changes the color of … Turtles and crabs are also on the daily diet which consists of around 2.5% of its body weight every day. Can AstraZeneca dispel doubts about its shots? Pink Dolphin . Although Amazon pink river dolphins are famous for its pink hue, they weren’t born this way. Amino. Interesting Amazon river dolphin Facts: Amazon river dolphins can reach 8 feet in length, but they are usually smaller. They can also swim forward with one flipper while paddling backward with the other, letting them turn with more precision. Read Gondwana’s Top 5 Pink River Dolphin Facts: 1. Part of this status is because while dolphins have a reputation for gathering in groups, the pink river dolphin is often seen alone or in small groups of 2-4 individuals, usually mother and young. The dolphins are actually born gray and slowly turn pink as they age. Ew, gross! We’re partially to blame. How did they get to the Amazon—and why are the males sometimes pink? It is a relatively abundant freshwater cetacean with an estimated population in the tens of thousands. In addition, the boto’s long snout comes in handy for rooting through river mud for crustaceans or darting among branches after small fish. Traditional Amazonian belief holds that the boto is a magical being able to take the form of a human and come ashore—with a hat to hide its telltale blowhole. Paradoxically, the good news is that despite living in small groups, Amazon pink river dolphins are incredibly curious and outgoing animals towards humans. It is one of... Amazon River Dolphins are only distantly related to saltwater dolphins. Facts About the Amazon River Dolphin (A Picture Book For Kids) Paperback – September 20, 2016 by Lisa Strattin (Author) › Visit Amazon's Lisa Strattin Page. Amazon pink dolphins are considered the most intelligent dolphins with a brain capacity that is 40% larger than a human’s. As dolphins are mammal and they live in water, kids confuse them with fish. 2. The brighter the pink, the more attractive the males are to females—at least during mating season, which takes place when the water has receded and males and females are confined to the river channel again. Echolocation allows them to navigate and find prey in the dark, muddy water. Male dolphins are strikingly pinker than their female counterparts; the coloration thought to be a product of scar tissue resulting from rough games or fighting over conquests. The coloring is believed to be scar tissue from rough games or fighting over conquests. These river dolphins can sport markings that range from mostly gray with some pink spots, to full flamingo pink. The Amazon River flows through three countries in South America. The Amazon River dolphin, or, otherwise called Boto dolphin is one of the five river dolphins and is the most famous species of the group. Why humans are hardwired to feel disgust. Some Random Amazon River Facts 16. The species name, geoffrensis comes from Geoffrey St. Hilaire (1772-1850). They have a long and filled out body with fins that look like paddles. There are more than 1,100 tributary rivers that flow into the Amazon River. It is found throughout much of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. The Amazon river dolphin is the largest river dolphin the world, growing up to 8 feet 6 inches inches (2.6 meters) in length. Inia geffrensis, or the pink river dolphin is different from the grey or tuxuci (Sotalia fluviatilis) river dolphins, which bear more resemblance to marine dolphins with their bottlenoses and habit of leaping out of the water. This Amazon river dolphin exhibits a mottled pattern What do Pink Dolphins eat? 12 Pink Dolphin Facts The largest sweetwater dolphins. Five species live in rivers. One such legend claims that the dolphins morph into handsome men known as “boto encantado” to seduce and impregnate womenfolk by night. Nearly 40 different dolphin species inhabit the waters of the world. In South American culture however, it is considered a mythical figure that has been revered and reviled in equal measure. In the Peruvian Amazon, the status of the pink river dolphin as a semi-magical being may have helped protect the species by encouraging local communities to treat them well and preserve their numbers. Amazon river dolphins can be pink, blue or albino (completely white due to lack of pigment) in color. The tucuxi, also a dolphin species, is found both in the rivers of the Amazon basin and in the coastal waters of South America. The ability to turn their heads to an angle of 90 degrees allows them to maneuver around tree trunks, rocks, and other obstacles. Top 5 River Dolphin facts Fact 1. The body of this mammal is long and plump, whereas the fins remind paddles by their shape. River dolphins are relatively small compared to other dolphins, having evolved to survive in warm, shallow water and strong river currents. Pink Dolphins by ellane slagle. The Amazon river dolphin is the largest species of river dolphin, with adult males reaching 185 kilograms (408 lb) in weight, and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length. Adults acquire a pink color, more prominent in males, giving it its nickname "pink river dolphin". The most recent assessment by the IUCN Red List in 2018 categorizes the species as “endangered” as evidence suggests its total population size has decreased 50% or more over a period of 75 years. 20% of Earth’s fresh water that enters the oceans comes from Amazon. What if the world’s biggest customer went green? The Anaconda, one of the world’s largest species of snake, makes its home in the Amazon River. Every spring when the rains fall in South America, the Amazon River and its tributaries begin to spill their banks. Europe’s plastics industry is about to boom. A unique adaptation lets botos swim easily between trees and through tangles of branches: unfused neck vertebrae, which allows them to bend at up to a 90-degree angle. It is an enigma as to how many “botos” exist in the Amazon, as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as ‘data deficient’. Interesting Facts About the Amazon River Dolphin Being the biggest of the five species of freshwater dolphins in the world, the Amazon river dolphin has bulbous foreheads and long, skinny beaks. Should cities start banning them? During the wet season, however, females venture far into the flooded forest, likely to escape the aggressive males. Battle to control America’s ‘most destructive’ species: feral pigs, Starling murmurations are dazzling, ubiquitous, and puzzling. The Amazon pink river dolphin is the subject of many South American folklore, not all benevolent. How the first pitch became baseball's Opening Day tradition, How Queen Victoria remade the British monarchy, 1800-year-old chain armor reconstructed using video game tech, After winning the vote, here’s why the suffragist movement took divergent paths, The extraordinary lives of America's 'bravest women'. Botos have the characteristic dolphin smile and, unlike their marine cousins, bulbous foreheads and long, skinny beaks. Another is that they do not go out of their way to make themselves seen, often putting only the tips of their heads out of the water. These river dolphins are usually found alone or averaging 3 individuals in a pod (group name). Where to find warrior queens, fairies, and castles in Scotland, The forgotten fossil hunter who transformed Britain’s Jurassic Coast, How the pandemic created two wildly different ski seasons in the Alps, Buried by Vesuvius, this ancient villa is an overlooked alternative to Pompeii. Piranha, a sharp-tooth fish that eats meat and caiman, a reptile related to alligators also inhabit the waters of the Amazon. Find out more about our Aria Amazon or brand-new Aqua Nera expeditions in Peru. Unfortunately, other threats such as environmental pollution, by-catch, and deliberate killing of dolphins for bait in fisheries still pose a threat. The pod size may become large in locations where the food is readily available. Start planning your once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Like its relatives elsewhere, the Amazon River dolphin faces challenges from development projects. An Amazon River Dolphin is also often referred to as a Pink River Dolphin, a Boto or a Bufeo. The Amazon river dolphin faces many human threats that jeopardize its survival. The pesticide solution may have dire consequences. WWF is using quadcopter drones to track and count Amazon River dolphinsa method thats swifter and potentially more accurate than traditi… In Rome, dolphins were thought to carry souls to the “Islands of the Blest,” and images of dolphins have been found in the hands of Roman mummies, presumably to ensure their safe passage to the afterlife. Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. 1024 x 768 jpeg 147kB. This water mammal is the largest of all the other river dolphin species, and cannot survive in salt water. 4) Because these marine mammals live in rivers rather than the open ocean they aren’t known to have oceanic predators such as killer whales and sharks which are known to hunt d… Most species live in shallow waters of tropical and temperate oceans. Learn about Author Central . 2) These marine mammals are the largest dolphins among the freshwater species. Lisa Strattin (Author) 4.2 out of 5 stars 15 ratings. back to menu ↑ Dolphins Can Hear 10 Times above the Human Range of Hearing Fun Fact. 728 x 546 jpeg 123kB. The fresh water that enters Atlantic from River Amazon flows on top of the sea water because fresh water is lighter. Most strikingly, males can be pink. Dolphin Facts For Kids -Learn All About Dolphins Among all the aquatic animals, Dolphin is well known for its intelligence and human friendly behavior. Into this seasonal sea, which remains for half the year, swims the Amazon river dolphin, or boto. Why do whales beach themselves? The Guarayo Indians of Bolivia refer to the Boto as the Inia. 635 x 298 jpeg 45kB. They also communicate using high-frequency sonar clicks to build a three-dimensional echogram of their dark riverine world. Amazon River is the prime habitat of the Boto, which is the largest species of river dolphin and is also known as the Amazon River Dolphin. To conserve the Amazon river dolphin and its environment through research, education and collaboration All rights reserved. They can grow up to lengths of more than 2.5 metres. 3) The pink amazon river dolphin is believed to be the most attractive of all amazon river dolphins and faces the most aggression among males during mating periods. [3] There are 40 existing species of dolphins. We dare say some of the dolphins even recognize them! The Amazon River Dolphin is a freshwater dolphin. Eventually, thousands of square miles of rainforest are flooded, creating a vast, tree-canopied sea. www.haikudeck.com. Some also believe them to be the guardians of the Amazon manatees, so those who wish to see a manatee must first reconcile with the pink dolphin. Amazing Facts About the Amazon River Dolphin The Amazon River Dolphin is also known as the boto or pink river dolphin due to its distinctive colouring. Amazon River Dolphin Interesting Facts Among all the river dolphins in the world, amazon river dolphin is the largest river dolphin. Volcano tourism is booming, but is it too risky? Amazon dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) bear little resemblance to our beloved Flipper. Pollution, including mercury, also impacts these dolphins. Although Amazon pink river dolphins are famous for its pink hue, they weren’t born this way. 2) The pink amazon river dolphin makes up one of around 5 known species of freshwater dolphin; Others include the Chinese river dolphin, La Plata dolphin, Indus river dolphin and Ganges river dolphins. 1) Because the pink amazon river dolphin is a marine mammal it is warm-blooded, gives birth to its young, produces milk and breathes air. See search results for this author. 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