At least 10 young Irrawaddy dolphins have been discovered in Cambodia, raising hopes the rare animal is being pulled back from the brink of extinction. The calves, observed by fisheries officials, were most likely born between May and July of this year in the Mekong river not far from the Lao border.

Touch Seang Tana, who chairs a government commission set up earlier this year to protect the dolphins was delighted to report the news as at least 12 dolphins died in January and February, raising extinction fears. Fewer than 100 Irrawaddy dolphins exist in the wild so the Marine Connection was pleased to hear about the births as they are vital for the future survival of this species.

For the past 10 months over 60 guards have been posted along the river to protect the dolphins and so far only two dolphins have been found dead. Threats to the dolphins range from illegal fishing to habitat destruction and starting next year, all fishing nets will be banned along the stretch of Mekong from the central town of Kratie to the Lao-Cambodian border. Local people within the villages have also been educated about the importance of saving these marine mammals which once numbered in their thousands – swimming in the Mekong which flows from Tibet to the South China Sea and has tributaries in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.