Endangered Dolphin Species

 Endangered Dolphin Species – Status – Conservation

1. Hector’s Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori)

2. Chilean Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia)

3. Chinese White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis)

4. La Plata Dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei)

5. Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica)

6. Indus River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor)

7. Australian Snubfin Dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni)

8. Atlantic Humpback Dolphin (Sousa teuszii)

9. Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)

43 different dolphin species in nature, including two families (river and

oceanic)

Eating Habits
All existing dolphin species are carnivores. 

Deep water dolphin species consume

 Jellyfish
 Squid

River Dolphins species consume

 Freshwater fish
 Crustaceans

Most of dolphin species’ favorite foods:

  Marine mammals 
 Fish
 Sea turtles 
 Crustaceans
 Octopus
 Squid
 Plankton

Body of Dolphin
Dolphins have 

 Torpedo-shaped bodies
 Non-flexible necks, limbs modified into flippers, a tail fin, and bulbous heads.
Dolphin skulls
 Small eye orbits
 Long snouts
 Eyes placed on the sides of its head
 Lack external ear flaps

Population & changes in the population

Dolphin Census (According to the data on 16 April 2022)

Habitat
The habitat of dolphins

 Varies based on environmental factors and food accessibility

 Dolphins are smart creatures with the intelligence to modify their habitat when
needed for survival.
  Can be found in ports, bays, gulfs and estuaries and frequently in the shallow waters
of the continental shelves.
 Ocean dolphins seem to tolerate cold temperatures better than the coastal species.

 Coastal dolphins prefer warm and tropical waters, and their small body allows them
to enter narrow and shallow places such as estuaries and river channels.

 River Dolphins inhabit the river basins of their distribution areas, along with the
banks of the main channels and smaller channels. Some river dolphins venture to
explore the forests when the rainy season floods them.

Are Dolphins Actually Endangered?

No, the dolphin species as a whole is not endangered. However, according to the IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species, out of 41 dolphin species, five species and six subspecies are
endangered.

Why Are Dolphins Endangered?

Some dolphin species are considered endangered

 historical and current-day factors that caused many dolphins to lose their lives
 Endangered dolphins are an extremely concerning area for marine biologists and
naturalists.
 Increases the chances that the species may become extinct or unable to repopulate
quickly enough to create a sustainable species.

Factors that led to the endangered dolphin species

 Illegal hunting
 Pollution
 Boats & Technology
 Global warming
 Fishing nets
 The construction of dams
 Closed up rivers
 Human-made platforms that isolated large river beds
 Increased numbers of captive dolphins
 A lack of food due to humans overhunting fish

How to help?
 Reduce - Reuse – Recycle - Rethink – Respond
 Conserve water, waste not and fix leaks
 Use fewer harmful chemicals and pollutants, and dispose of them properly,
 Try to use phosphate-free laundry and dish soaps
 Don't use electrical appliances for things you can easily do by hand. 
 Save your kitchen scraps for the compost pile.
 Boycott tuna or buy only “dolphin-safe,”
 Volunteer your time to conservation projects
 Become more involved in marine environmental issues