- [Lindsay] Within the
last couple of decades,
this population has dramatically
decreased in number.
(camera clicks)
There is one really close.
(camera clicks)
(gentle music)
- They are incredibly challenging to study
because when they do surface,
they don't bring much of
their bodies out of the water.
So, it's difficult to
identify individuals,
and it's difficult to really discern
what type of behavior is occurring.
(gentle music)
- [Lindsay] For photo identification
of individual dolphins,
for many, many species,
we use the shape or the coloration
that you find on the dorsal area
particularly the dorsal fin.
The main cause of
mortality for this species,
previously, was entanglement in gillnets.
The river guard program was put in place
to remove the illegal gillnets
which are being set on the
dolphin sanctuary areas.
So the chances of dolphins
becoming entangled in these nets,
of course, are far less if
they simply aren't there.
(gentle music)
(boat running)
- [Lindsay] We're quit hopeful
because we've seen a decrease
in adult mortality and
there are several new calves
in the last two years as well.
The last population estimate
was for 92 individual
dolphins in the area,
and that's an increase on 12
from the previous estimates.
So were very hopeful
that this population is now
on the road to recovery.
- [Lindsay] I think one of the
most spectacular things about
this particular population
is the setting itself.
They are such an integral
part of the communites
that live around the river.
The people that live in the
Mekong area rely entirely
on the river habitat as do the dolphins.
The dolphins and the humans,
it's all part of one big system
that's really clear to see.
(gentle music)
