VNThe following article is about Amazon river dolphin – The amazing “mythical” pink river dolphin in the Amazon River.
1/ What is the Amazon river dolphin?
If you spend a lot of time watching nature documentaries about underwater life, you may already know about dolphins as highly intelligent marine mammals that often display a cheerful attitude and have gray skin.
However, there is one dolphin species that stands out remarkably from the rest. Instead of living in the salty environment of the ocean, this species resides in freshwater rivers. Moreover, it possesses astonishingly pinkish skin, unlike the typical gray color of dolphins. This remarkable creature is the Amazon river dolphin.
2/ Some interesting facts about the Amazon river dolphin
Technically classified as a toothed whale, despite its dolphin-like elongated snout, the Amazon river dolphin is the largest river dolphin species and develops its pinkish skin color when reaching adulthood, making it a colorful addition to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins.
The Amazon river dolphin, also known as the boto, is usually found in the Amazon region of South America, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.
According to Ecuador and Galapagos Insiders (EGI), while mature Amazon river dolphins have a pinkish color, juveniles are actually gray. Some individuals have color variations with patches or spots; others turn entirely pink, with males being the pinker ones.
They can grow up to 2.8m in length, weigh around 160 kg, and live up to 30 years. In fact, Aqua Expeditions reports that the pink river dolphin has the largest body and brain among all freshwater dolphin species.
Perhaps due to their physical resemblance to beluga whales, EGI states that many people believe they are blind, but this is not the case. Despite their relatively small eyes, Amazon river dolphins have excellent vision.
Unlike their saltwater relatives, pink dolphins tend to be solitary creatures, enjoying their time alone or in small groups. However, an abundant food source can bring them together in larger groups.
Despite their preference for solitude, pink dolphins are also very friendly towards humans, much like their oceanic counterparts. They will interact with people, although unlike marine dolphins, they are not known for frequent jumping displays.
According to Aqua Expeditions, these dolphins can perform 180-degree turns, swim upside down, and more. All these skilled maneuvers help them avoid underwater obstacles such as rocks and tree trunks in the river.
Pink dolphins are most active during the daytime, so anyone visiting the Amazon river basin has the chance to spot them during the morning to evening hours in places like Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
Unfortunately, this species also faces numerous threats. Conservation groups are working to raise awareness about the dangers the Amazon river dolphin faces, such as getting entangled in fishing nets.
However, the Amazon river dolphin is considered a “mythical” creature in many South American regions, and it is hoped that its special status may help it recover from the risk of extinction. Local people deeply respect this animal, and in some areas, harming a pink dolphin is even believed to bring bad luck.
According to the Amazon River Dolphin Conservation Foundation (ARDCF), this species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
It also faces other threats, from recent fires in the Amazon to being used as bait.
ARDCF estimates that 1,500 pink dolphins are hunted and killed by fishermen and poachers each year. Even worse, the moratorium on hunting these beautiful mammals that was set in 2015 has expired, and now it is legal to hunt Amazon river dolphins and use them as bait.
However, currently, people can still see these animals swimming alongside tourist lodges in the Galapagos or encounter them with the help of a local guide in the Peruvian Amazon and other places. There are even rumors that these highly intelligent mammals can recognize the local people they live among!
Read more: Amazon river dolphin Wikipedia
3/ The mystery of the pink river dolphin in the Amazon River
The legend has it that the pink river dolphin, known as boto, is the transformation of humans during the night to “conceal infidelity and sexual behaviors,” according to Gabriel Melo Alves dos Santos, a Ph.D. student at the University of Para, Brazil.
The scientific perspective on this dolphin species is somewhat less mystical. However, the truth is that the boto, one of the few remaining freshwater dolphin species on Earth, still holds many mysteries.
Scientists do not know how many individual botos exist in the wild and how many have died. They are also uncertain about why they have a pink color.
Not all botos are pink. “Their color varies greatly,” says Vanessa Mintzer, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florida, Gainesville. “Usually, the young ones are gray. As they grow older, they gradually turn pink. Adult males are the pinkest.”
Tim Caro, a mammal color expert at the University of California, Davis, has another explanation. “Pink color is a way to camouflage in the red mud present in rivers after heavy rain,” he says.
A recent hypothesis suggests that the reason is due to the frequent fights among botos, and the pink scars are the result. There are certainly many “conflicts” between dolphins, especially between males, known to be 55% heavier than females.
Contrary to the secretive and discreet lifestyle of the pink dolphins, some individuals openly interact with humans. At a market in the town of Mocajuba, Para state, Brazil, pink dolphins play with children after the kids help their families with sales. The water here is very clear, and photographer Alves dos Santos witnessed their behaviors in great detail.
One of the interesting aspects is that they are very friendly and not aggressive at all. “If they wanted to, they could easily bite those children since they are large and have a robust set of jaws,” he says. “However, the pink dolphins don’t do that; they play with the children almost every morning.” Local residents said this has been happening for the past 30 years.
