Favorite Images of Irrawaddy Dolphins

A list of my favorite images of Irrawaddy dolphins.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrawaddy_dolphin

The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous sub-populations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia.

The Irrawaddy dolphin is similar to the beluga whale in appearance, though most closely related to the killer whale.

It has a large melon and a blunt, rounded head and the beak is indistinct.

The dorsal fin, located about two-thirds posterior along the back, is short, blunt and triangular. The flippers are long and broad.

It is lightly coloured all over but slightly more white on the underside than the back. Unlike any other dolphin, the Irrawaddy's u-shaped blowhole is placed on the left of the midline and opens towards the front of the dolphin.

Their short beaks appear very different than those of other dolphins and their mouths are known for having 12-19 peg-like teeth on each sides of their jaws.

Irrawaddys can range from 90 kg (200 lb) to 200 kg (440 lb) and length is 2.3 m (7.5 ft) at full maturity. Maximum recorded length is 2.75 m (9.0 ft) of a male from Thailand.

Overall, the Irrawaddy dolphins' colour is grey to dark slate blue, paler underneath, with no distinctive pattern.

The dorsal fin is small and rounded behind the middle of the back. The forehead is high and rounded; the beak is lacking. The front of its snout is blunt. The flippers are broad and rounded.

Communication is carried out with clicks, creaks and buzzes at a dominant frequency of about 60 kilohertz, which is thought to be used for echolocation.

Bony fish and fish eggs, cephalopods and crustaceans are taken as food. Observations of captive animals indicate food may be taken into the mouth by suction.

Irrawaddy dolphins are capable of squirting streams of water that can reach up to 1.5 m; this distinct behavior has been known for herding fish into general area for hunting.

The Irrawaddy dolphin is a slow swimmer, but swimming speeds of 20–25 kilometres per hour (12–16 mph) were reported when dolphins were being chased in a boat.

The IUCN lists five of the seven subpopulations as critically endangered, primarily due to drowning in fish nets.