The Mekong River, winding its way through Southeast Asia, is a vital lifeline for several communities and home to a mythical creature in Cambodian folklore — the Irrawaddy dolphin.
This Cambodian folklore is among the main reasons the endangered dolphins have bounced back. Before the 1970s, it’s believed that thousands of dolphins thrived in Cambodia’s Mekong River. Sadly, the numbers plummeted to 80 or less in the years after the violent rule of the Khmer Rouge.
Fortunately, in recent years, we’re seeing a resurgence of these magnificent animals.
The Cambodian folklore of dolphins
Once upon a time, a beautiful maiden was forced to marry a python whom they thought was a wealthy deity disguised as a python. But this wasn’t a wealthy deity, just a python.
The hungry python went ahead and devoured the girl whole, but she was saved when the snake’s stomach was cut open. However, after being rescued, the girl was covered in stinky slime and was embarrassed to go on living. She decided to cast herself into the Mekong River, but instead of drowning, she was transformed into a dolphin.
That’s why Cambodia’s Khmer and Lao people highly regarded the Irrawaddy dolphins.
A dark era for the Irrawaddy dolphins
As mentioned, the violent era of the Khmer Rouge and the war that followed led to a catastrophic decrease in the number of Mekong River dolphins.
The Irrawaddy dolphins were hunted indiscriminately for food and oil. They were also among the animals sold in large quantities to China in exchange for military materials and food. Even worse, telling stories was forbidden and was sometimes punishable by death. People could no longer share their beautiful Cambodian myths and folklore under this regime.
Sadly, even after the fall of Khmer Rouge, the number of dolphins still fell rapidly. New fishing gill nets ensnared them, causing them to drown. Besides nets, other ways of fishing, such as poisoning or using dynamite, also contributed to this loss.
Other threats include agricultural and industry pollutants and hydropower developments upstream. For instance, experts believe the proposed 2,600-megawatt Sambor Dam will significantly harm the dolphin’s habitat.
In 2020, a census showed about 80 dolphins in the Mekong River.
All is not lost for the Irrawaddy dolphins
The Irrawaddy dolphin species only live in two other rivers: Ayeyarwady in Myanmar and Mahakam in Indonesia. Also, there are only six species of river dolphins left worldwide.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has been at the forefront of protecting these species since the mid-2000s. They partnered with Cambodian law enforcement agencies to combat illegal fishing along a stretch of the Mekong River near Kampi. This stretch has pools up to 150 feet deep, which serves as the perfect habitat for these river dolphins.
Also, the Cambodian government made the dolphin a national symbol of pride, thanks in part to the legend of the beautiful maiden. The elusive dolphins have also become one of the major tourist attractions in Cambodia.
Tourism and people’s reverence for dolphins help protect these animals. Even though it’s challenging to eradicate illegal fishing, conservationists are seeing a brighter future thanks to the help from the local communities.
A glimmer of hope for the Irrawaddy dolphins
Unlike their famous ocean cousins, the snub-nosed Irrawaddy dolphins don’t jump entirely out of the water. Instead, they only partially “peak” on the surface before diving below. They may pop in one place, disappear underneath, then appear at a random spot a few hundred meters away.
This behavior makes it challenging to keep track of all dolphins in the population. Researchers can tell individuals apart since every dolphin has a differently-shaped dorsal fin. However, the window for taking photographs is concise since the dolphins only partially breach the surface. It means researchers have to spend many hours tracking individuals.
Still, they have recorded a slight increase to about 100 individuals.
Teak Seng, the WWF’s country director in Cambodia, told National Geographic that this is exciting news. He believes that through concerted efforts, the population may bounce back.
“The Irrawaddy dolphin is Cambodia’s living national treasure and a key indicator of the health of the Mekong River,” he says. “Their recovery is a hopeful sign for the river and the millions of people who depend on it. After years of hard work, we believe these iconic dolphins can be protected against extinction.”
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