rsity is important to the Irrawaddy dolphin's survival3. Likewise, the protection of the Irrawaddy dolphin is crucial for the overall health of the Mekong River. The Irrawaddy dolphin is also regarded as a sacred animal by both Khmer and Lao people, and is an important source of income and jobs for communities involved in dolphin-watching ecotourism5.
The Mekong River Irawaddy dolphin has been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 2004, the highest international threat ranking for endangered species. If action is not taken soon, it will disappear forever.
Take action today! Sign the petition below and tell the Prime Ministers of Laos and Cambodia to implement laws to protect the Mekong Dolphins' habitat from contamination.
- World Wide Fund For Nature (23 October 2020), "Numbers of critically endangered Mekong river dolphin stable."
- IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group (February 2013), "Mekong River Irrawaddy Dolphins."
- Endangered Species International (2018), "Bringing back the Irrawaddy dolphin."
- World Wide Fund For Nature (18 June 2019), "Mekong dolphins on the brink of extinction."
- World Wildlife Fund (2021), "Irrawaddy Dolphin Facts."
Dear Prime Ministers of Laos and Cambodia,
I ask you to swiftly implement laws to stop contaminants from being dumped in the Mekong River. The river's pollution is taking the Mekong dolphin to near extinction - the dolphin population has suffered 88 deaths since 2003, of which over sixty percent were calves under two weeks old. The current population is estimated to comprise no more than 89 dolphins.
I urge you to take action against gold mines and several other industries that dump hazardous chemicals in the river. Pollutants such as DDT, PCBs and mercury where found during analysis of the dead dolphin calves, and they represent a threat not only to this marvelous dolphin species, but also to the health of the human population that consumes the fish caught in the area.
The preservation of the dolphin's habitat needs to be enforced with stiffer penalties for those who break the law.
It would be a great tragedy if we couldn't show these beautiful animals to future generations -- please act now before the Mekong dolphin becomes extinct.