Ayeyawady dolphin found inhabiting near Ywathit Village in Pakokku
26 November 2020 - Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
An Ayeyawady dolphin is found to be inhabiting near Ywathit Village in Pakokku Township in Magway Region.
"I am a fisherman. The dolphins inhabit mostly on the riverbanks, most of which are the habitats of the fish. The dolphins are used to consuming only the tails of the fish instead of the head. What is strange with the dolphins is that they are mammals. We found only one dolphin inhabiting near our village, said U Myint Htway, a fisherman from Oakkyaung Village in Pakokku Township.
"We have found the dolphin in the Ayeyawady River, east of Ywathit Village at the end of October 2020. Our village administrators near the Ayeyawady River are taking care of the dolphins. We have also prohibited illegal fishing such as electrofishing because the dolphins are endangered species. We will also take legal action if we find the fishermen using the illegal fishing methods," said U Win Kyaw Oo, the head of Oakkyaung Village.
The number of the dolphins in the river has dropped to just over 70 after six of them died in the past seven months, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS-Myanmar). The Ayeyawady dolphins have mostly been killed by electrofishing. The dolphins take a long time to reproduce in their natural habitat. —Salai Ko Ki (IPRD) (Translated by Hay Mar)
