The most frequently consumed fish belong to the families Sciaenidae (croakers), Cichlidae, and Characidae (tetras and piranhas). [22] In their freshwater habitat they are apex predators and gatherings depend more on food sources and habitat availability than in oceanic dolphins where protection from larger predators is necessary. Anterior teeth are conical and later have ridges on the inside of the crown. In studies conducted during the rainy season, the density observed in the flood plain was 18 animals per square km, while on the banks of rivers and lakes ranged from 1.8 to 5.8 individuals per square km. These animals belong to the Cetacea family. During the wet season the water level rises, allowing the Amazon River dolphin to disperse into smaller tributaries. Small pods of 3 to 5 dolphins may also form. [4][6] The diet is more diverse during the wet season, when fish are spread in flooded areas outside riverbeds, thus becoming more difficult to catch. It is a relatively abundant freshwater cetacean with an estimated population in the tens of thousands. [40] [2][3] The three subspecies are distributed in the Amazon basin, the upper Madeira River in Bolivia, and the Orinoco basin, respectively. The longest distance in one day was 120 kilometres (75 mi), with an average of 14.5 kilometres (9.0 mi). It is especially active during the early morning and late afternoon. They mainly eat catfish, which are bottom feeders greatly affected by metals like mercury in the water. [6], Studies to estimate the population are difficult to analyze due to the difference in the methodology used. The Amazon river dolphin is seen as a competitor for diminished fish stocks and is often killed or injured when people try to chase them away. The Amazon river dolphin is restricted to freshwater habitats. The pink river dolphin inhabits the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco River systems, meaning freshwater habitats in Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela are teeming with these unique mammals. River dolphins are a subgroup of dolphins that live in freshwater and brackish environments. There is one albino on record, kept in an aquarium in Germany. Copyright © 2020 ActiveWild.com. It is especially active during the early morning and late afternoon. [16]Inia geoffrensis humboldtiana[6] are located in the Orinoco River basin, including the Apure and Meta rivers. Object carrying (e.g. Adults acquire a pink color, more prominent in males, giving it its nickname "pink river dolphin". These observations suggest that the Amazon river dolphin is found in higher density than any other cetacean. [8], In the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru, photo-identification is used to recognize individuals based on pigmentation patterns, scars and abnormalities in the beak. [5] Today, however, the Amazon river dolphin has been reclassified into the superfamily Inioidea. It consists of at least 53 different species of fish, grouped in 19 families. This suggests that long periods of parental care contribute to learning and development of the young. [6], The Amazon river dolphin is located in most of the area's aquatic habitats, including; river basins, major courses of rivers, canals, river tributaries, lakes, and at the ends of rapids and waterfalls. [23] Typically, social bonds occur between mother and child, but may also been seen in heterogeneous groups or bachelor groups. [26], In captivity, courtship and mating foreplay have been documented. ActiveWild.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon stores. The period of birthing coincides with the flood season, and this may provide an advantage because the females and their offspring remain in flooded areas longer than males. Join us to make change. Legend also states that if a person makes eye contact with an Amazon river dolphin, he or she will have lifelong nightmares. Inia geoffrensis geoffrensis[6] inhabits most of the Amazon River, including rivers Tocantins, Araguaia, low Xingu and Tapajos, the Madeira to the rapids of Porto Velho, and rivers Purus, Yurua, Ica, Caqueta, Branco, and the Rio Negro through the channel of Casiquiare to San Fernando de Atabapo in the Orinoco river, including its tributary: the Guaviare. The flippers and the flukes (the tail fins) of the dolphin are triangular and have ragged hind edges. The Amazon river dolphin is most often observed either singly or in pairs. They consume about 5.5% of their body weight per day. 2.7 and 2.0 were observed along the banks. Amazon river dolphin is one of the five species of river dolphins. In 2008, this species was ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being data deficient, due to the uncertainty regarding its population trends and the impact of threats. Associated with these legends is the use of various fetishes, such as dried eyeballs and genitalia. 72 individuals were recognized, of which 25 were again observed between 1991 and 2000. The mythology is said to be the cycle of a baby. Males Amazon river dolphins often bear multiple scars or injuries. The Amazon river dolphin is the largest species of river dolphin, with adult males reaching 185 kilograms (408 lb) in weight, and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length. Around 100 went to US dolphinariums, and of that, only 20 survived; the last died at the Pittsburgh Zoo in 2002. They are harder to train than most other species of dolphin. Amazon river dolphins use at least 10 distinct calls to communicate with each other. Amazon river dolphins have been observed playing with a range of different objects, including sticks, lumps of clay and small animals. [32][35][36] Várzea consists of muddy river waters containing a vast number and diversity of nutrient rich species. Unlike in oceanic dolphins, the cervical vertebrae are not fused, allowing the head to turn 90 degrees. A plausible explanation of the results is that object-carrying is aimed at females and is stimulated by the number of females in the group, while aggression is aimed at other adult males and is stimulated by object-carrying in the group. [48], In September 2012, Bolivian President Evo Morales enacted a law to protect the dolphin and declared it a national treasure. branches & other vegetation) by adult males is thought to be a part of their mating behavior. Additionally, another study was conducted in the Amazon at the height of the mouth of the Caqueta River for six days. The myth has been suggested to have arisen partly because dolphin genitalia bear a resemblance to those of humans. [6], They are slow swimmers; they commonly travel at speeds of 1.5 to 3.2 kilometres per hour (0.93 to 1.99 mph) but have been recorded to swim at speeds up to 14 to 22 kilometres per hour (8.7 to 13.7 mph).

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