Posts Tagged ‘Asia’
A sad day for a dolphin from Hong Kong
As most people are aware, the past few weeks have been touch and go for an injured Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (since named “Hope”) residing in the waters off of Hong Kong Island. The dolphin was spotted with serious cuts to its tail that some thought were inhibiting its natural behaviour and were unlikely to heal…
Read MoreUpdate on the injured dolphin in Hong Kong.
In a follow-up to the news that a seriously injured Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin has been seen swimming in Hong Kong waters, WDC interviewed Dr. Samuel Hung, Executive Director of Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society to get his views and opinions on the status of this individual dolphin. What do you think happened to the dolphin…
Read MoreHong Kong dolphin found with horrific injuries!
A seriously injured dolphin has been spotted swimming in the waters off Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The individual is thought to have been struck by the propellor of an outboard engine and the resulting injuries are painful even to look at let alone for the dolphin itself. Deep gashes run the length of the dolphin’s…
Read MoreAre the Irrawaddy dolphins in Burma holding steady or are they headed for extinction?
In Burma, Irrawaddy dolphins have generally been revered by local people in addition to providing direct economic benefits to cast-net fishermen through their role in a human-dolphin cooperative fishery. As with other dolphins who live in such close proximity to humans there are several threats to their survival however, in Burma there is concern that…
Read MoreOil spill in India threatens rare dolphins
An oil spill from a tanker has spread along a 40km (25 mile) section of the Sela river in India threatening a population of Irrawaddy dolphins. The tanker, which is thought to have been carrying 350,000 litres (75,000 gallons) of oil, collided with another vessel early on Tuesday. The Indian government has begun legal action…
Read MoreBangladesh declares its first marine protected area
The government of Bangladesh has created the country’s first marine protected area in the seas of the Bay of Bengal, which will now help to safeguard the whales, dolphins, and other marine species that live there. The area, known as the ‘Swatch of No Ground’, spans 672 square miles (1,738 square kilometres), with a depth…
Read MoreTime is running out on Thailand’s dolphin clock
The Irrawaddy dolphin is a wonderful and unique species of dolphin with several different populations, and sub-populations, displaying their own particular fondness for a specific kind of habitat. Unfortunately, it is this preference that is contributing to their decline, some faster than others. One of these sub-populations lives in Songkhla Lake in the south of…
Read MoreIs this the final nail in the coffin?
If I were to ask you what you considered to be an iconic species of whale or dolphin what would your answer be? Much I’m sure would depend on where you live, what you’ve read and what your own experiences are. Some perhaps would say the mighty blue whale, the largest creature ever to have…
Read MorePollution threatens future of white dolphins in China
Researchers in China are growing increasingly concerned about levels of pollution threatening the survival of Chinese white dolphins. Marine biologists at the Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) in southern China’s Guangdong province claim that the species will drop by 74% in the next 60 years because of the amount of heavy metals, such as mercury and…
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