Marine Connection was delighted to receive the news that thousands of rare dolphins have been found in Bangladeshi waters, giving great hope for the future for this specific species.

The Irrawaddy dolphins were found living in freshwater regions of Bangladesh's Sundarbans mangrove forest and the adjacent waters of the Bay of Bengal, prior to this study which used rigorous scientific techniques the largest known populations of Irrawaddy dolphins numbered in the low hundreds or less.Bangladesh clearly serves as an important sanctuary for Irrawaddy dolphins, and conservation in this region should be a top priority. The finding is an indication that ecology in the area is not dead yet and that there is plenty of food, mainlyfish, in the area for the dolphins to eat - What is now needed is to restrict fishing in the area to protect the dolphins."

The study also warned that the dolphins are becoming increasingly threatened by accidental entanglement in fishing nets. During the study, researchers encountered two dolphins that had become entangled and subsequently drowned in fishing nets, a common occurrence, according to local fishermen.

Rising sea levels caused by climate change also threaten the freshwater dolphins but for the moment, this is very good news.