Amazon dolphin facts

The Amazon River itself is teeming with rich biodiversity: in the dark waters swim piranhas, crocodiles, manatees, and one of our favorites, the Amazon river dolphin. Known to locals as the Botoor more frequently referred to as the Pink River Dolphin on southwest airlines 1614 of its distinctive coloring, these fascinating creatures are steeped in myth and legend and have evolved to amazon dolphin facts highly specialized to their environment. Learn more about them before you head to the Amazon with these 15 interesting facts about Pink River Dolphins below. Despite their name, amazon dolphin facts, there are actually two other species of river dolphin the Bolivian and Araguaian and the oceanic Gray Dolphin known to locals as the Tucuxi that also call the Amazon river home.

In South American culture however, it is considered a mythical figure that has been revered and reviled in equal measure. In reality, the pink river dolphin is one of two species of endangered freshwater dolphins that are found in similar locations throughout the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. Inia geffrensis, or the pink river dolphin is different from the grey or tuxuci Sotalia fluviatilis river dolphins, which bear more resemblance to marine dolphins with their bottlenoses and habit of leaping out of the water. As its name suggests, the pink river dolphin is most recognizable by its unique color making it a huge draw for explorers of the Peruvian Amazon. The dolphins are actually born gray and slowly turn pink as they age. Male dolphins are strikingly pinker than their female counterparts; the coloration thought to be a product of scar tissue resulting from rough games or fighting over conquests.

Amazon dolphin facts

Amazon river dolphins boto. Every spring when the rains fall in South America, the Amazon River and its tributaries begin to spill their banks. Eventually, thousands of square miles of rainforest are flooded, creating a vast, tree-canopied sea. Into this seasonal sea, which remains for half the year, swims the Amazon river dolphin , or boto. Botos have the characteristic dolphin smile and, unlike their marine cousins, bulbous foreheads and long, skinny beaks. Most strikingly, males can be pink. The coloring is believed to be scar tissue from rough games or fighting over conquests. The brighter the pink, the more attractive the males are to females—at least during mating season, which takes place when the water has receded and males and females are confined to the river channel again. During the wet season, however, females venture far into the flooded forest, likely to escape the aggressive males. A unique adaptation lets botos swim easily between trees and through tangles of branches: unfused neck vertebrae, which allows them to bend at up to a degree angle.

But, why are they pink in the first place?

The Amazon river dolphin Inia geoffrensis , also known as the boto , bufeo or pink river dolphin , is a species of toothed whale endemic to South America and is classified in the family Iniidae. Three subspecies are currently recognized: I. The Amazon river dolphin is the largest species of river dolphin, with adult males reaching kilograms lb in weight, and 2. Adults acquire a pink color, more prominent in males, giving it its nickname "pink river dolphin". Like other toothed whales, they have a melon , an organ that is used for bio sonar. The dorsal fin, although short in height, is regarded as long, and the pectoral fins are also large. The fin size, unfused vertebrae, and its relative size allow for improved manoeuvrability when navigating flooded forests and capturing prey.

Curious and clever, Amazon river dolphins use echolocation to hunt for prey in the murky waters of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. They start their life grey and become pinker with age! Amazon river dolphins are also known as pink river dolphins or botos. They are a strong part of Amazon folklore; the locals typically respect and protect them. Some say that if a person drowns, their spirit enters the body of a boto, while others say river dolphins transform into beautiful people at night to lure humans into their river forever. The magical shape-shifters will always wear a white hat to hide their dolphin blowhole!

Amazon dolphin facts

If a guy in a hat tries to seduce you from the bank of the Amazon River, beware. He might be a shapeshifter! On the other hand, if you go swimming alone between dusk and dawn, you may also be carried off to their secret lair, which does sound cool.

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What is being done to save the Amazon river dolphin? The fin size, unfused vertebrae, and its relative size allow for improved manoeuvrability when navigating flooded forests and capturing prey. How did they get to the Amazon—and why are the males sometimes pink? Pink Dolphin Swimming With Tourists. Retrieved 22 October Another is that they do not go out of their way to make themselves seen, often putting only the tips of their heads out of the water. The most frequently consumed fish belong to the families Sciaenidae croakers , Cichlidae cichlids , Characidae characins and tetras , and Serrasalmidae pacus, piranhas and silver dollars. In , it was proposed that I. But can you believe that it is not born with this rosy appearance? White-beaked dolphin L. The distribution of dolphins in the rivers and surrounding areas depends on the time of year; in the dry season they are located in the river beds, but in the rainy season, when the rivers overflow, they disperse to the flooded areas, both the forests and the plains. Science Daylight saving time is back. Adult males have been observed carrying objects in their mouths such as branches or other floating vegetation, or balls of hardened clay. Disclaimer While Rainforest Cruises aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information herein or found by following any link on this site.

Quite the charmers, male botos sometimes try and win over females by pulling some particularly alluring techniques out of the bag. This may sound comical, but at least two other species are known to perform similar rituals to impress potential mates — chimps, and humans! Botos look very different to marine dolphins.

Here's why. Tucuxi S. A series of rapids and waterfalls in the Madeira River have isolated one population, recognized as the subspecies I. Pink river dolphins have a flexible and varied diet — perhaps thanks in part to their two types of teeth — and the specific types of prey may vary depending on factors such as location, season, and availability of food. The New York Times. What is being done to save the Amazon river dolphin? The skull of the species is slightly asymmetrical compared to the other toothed whales. Download as PDF Printable version. In September , Bolivian President Evo Morales enacted a law to protect the dolphin and declared it a national treasure. Most couples observed in their natural environment consist of a female and her calf. They are harder to train than most other species of dolphin. Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin S.