Unlike the pointy nose of most dolphins, the irrawaddy dolphin has a blunt, bulging forehead and a small mouth turned slightly upwards. Their forehead is full of a fatty organ called the melon, which helps them make clicking sounds to navigate and find fish — a skill called echolocation.
Irrawaddy dolphins have an extraordinary relationship with fishermen in some parts of Southeast Asia. In Myanmar, dolphins actively herd schools of fish towards waiting fishermen, then signal when the fish are close by rolling in a particular way. The fishermen then throw their nets. Both the dolphins and the fishermen catch more fish this way.
The Cambodian Mekong dolphins are a critically important group. Only a few dozen individuals remain in the river. Conservation teams count them every year and protect the deep pools where the dolphins rest and raise their young.
Baby irrawaddy dolphins are born tail-first, like all dolphin calves. The mother pushes the calf to the surface for its first breath immediately. Calves stay close to their mothers for several years, learning the river by travelling alongside her.