# Six Irrawaddy dolphin calves born on Cambodia's Mekong, lifting population to 118

> The latest calving season has added six young dolphins to a Mekong population that local people revere, and conservationists say it shows the species can recover.

- Published: 2026-10-26 by Tickety-Boo News
- Section: Animals
- Location: Cambodia
- Web page: https://ticketyboonews.co.uk/stories/six-irrawaddy-dolphin-calves-born-on-cambodias-mekong-lifting/
- Original report: [Numbers of Endangered and Sacred River Dolphin Grow by 6 After Successful Breeding Season](https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/numbers-of-endangered-and-sacred-river-dolphin-grow-by-6-after-successful-breeding-season) (Good News Network)

## In brief

- Six Irrawaddy dolphin calves were born this season on the Mekong River in Cambodia.
- The population along a 75-mile stretch now stands at 118, the largest river-dwelling group.
- Local reverence and community-focused conservation are seen as key to the dolphins' recovery.

Six Irrawaddy dolphin calves have been born in the Mekong River in Cambodia this calving season, taking the local population to 118.

The dolphins live along a 75-mile section of the river in the north-east of the country. Local conservationists say the new arrivals are a clear sign that the species can bounce back if the threats it faces in its environment are brought under control.

This group is the largest of its kind still living in a river. Elsewhere, Irrawaddy dolphins have been divided into isolated populations across several countries. Some are still hunted and others are caught accidentally in fishing gear, although more and more they are being valued as a draw for ecotourism.

In both Cambodia and Laos, the dolphins are treated with great respect. Folk tradition and Buddhism each teach that they are the reincarnated spirits of ancestors, and some people say the animals have rescued villagers from drowning or kept them safe from crocodiles. These beliefs have helped people in the two countries to live peacefully alongside one another for a long time.

The biggest danger is gillnet fishing. Calves are particularly at risk because they may not know to stay away from boats and the noise made by fishermen. The method still turns up in protected areas, but it appears to be happening only on a small scale.

Around 160 dams have been built along the Mekong, the largest river in South-East Asia, and they have changed the ecology of stretches where the dolphins live. Even so, the arrival of six calves suggests there is still enough food in the river for the population to grow.

In 2014, the Cambodian branch of the World Wildlife Fund began a joint programme to protect the dolphins. Its approach is to help communities earn a living in ways that depend less heavily on fishing.

## Why it matters

River dolphins are among the most endangered animals on Earth, so any rise in their numbers is welcome news. A recent study of conservation methods found that community support and local attitudes counted for more than anything else when a species climbed out of endangered status. On the Mekong, people hold the dolphins in deep reverence, and some have confronted illegal fishers in protected zones despite the risk of violence. That commitment gives the population a good chance of continuing to recover.