(Dan Koehl/Wikimedia/(CC BY 3.0))

The recent death of one of only six remaining Irrawaddy river dolphins in the Mekong River, Laos, is a poignant reminder of the desperate situation these critically endangered animals are facing.

Cambodian villagers discovered the carcass of the female dolphin April 1 in Phnom Penh. She was thought to have been one of the oldest and largest dolphins in the region. There are an estimated 85 dolphins remaining in all of the Mekong River, according to the World Wildlife Foundation, most of which are in Cambodia.

The dolphin appears to have died of natural causes, based on examination. However her death confirms the failure of humans to protect her species.

The Irrawaddy dolphin, also known as “the smiling face of the Mekong,” has mainly been wiped out by the fishing industry. Vertical nets left in the water for extended periods of time by local fishermen entangle the dolphins and kill them slowly. Laos created a dolphin protection zone banning the use of the nets in 2012, but it hasn’t been enforced consistently.

“This is a very sad time for this dwindling population of dolphins,” stated Thomas Gray, manager of WWF’s Greater Mekong Species Programme. “There are now just five dolphins left in Laos and it is another warning that the species is facing the grave risk of extinction from the country, and also throughout the Mekong River.”

The remaining dolphins are potentially in harm’s way as well, due to a the construction of a massive new dam in the area. The loss of the dolphins will have far reaching effects, not just on the environment’s ecosystem but in other areas, too. Approximately 30,000 tourists reportedly flock to the river each year trying to catch a glimpse of the soon-to-be-extinct animals.

Source: The Dodo