Cambodia river dolphins makes historic rebound

Phnom Penh : The population of Cambodia’s critically endangered river dolphin is growing for the first time in decades, conservations said yesterday, hailing a major turnaround for the freshwater species.

The Irrawaddy dolphins, known for their bulging foreheads and short beaks, once swam through much of the Mekong river but in recent decades have been limited to a 190 km (118 mile) stretch from central Cambodia to its northern border with Laos.

The population has been in steady decline since the first census was taken in 1997, dropping from 200 that year to 80 in 2015 due to habitat loss and destructive fishing practices.

But new births, including three calves in 2018, and a decline in deaths has put the species on path to recovery.