Boto / Amazon River dolphin
| Scientific Name | Inia geoffrensis |  | |
| English Common Name | Boto / Amazon River dolphin | ||
| Taxonomy | Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Sub-order: Odontoceti Family: Iniidae Genus: Inia Species: geoffrensis | ||
| Behaviour | Amazon River dolphins are slow swimmers and they have been known to bow-ride slower vessels, although their approachability varies depending on their location. They are most active in the early morning and late afternoon and are often seen breaching and making low leaps out of the water. Group sizes are small and it is not uncommon to see solitary animals or only a few individuals at one time. | ||
| World Distribution | Amazon river dolphins are found in many of the main river systems of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Waterfalls and rapids, hydro-electric dams, and changes in water level are the main restrictions to the dolphins' movements. Wet and dry seasons cause the rivers to rise and fall by as much as 14 metres in some areas during the year. The migration of fish also plays an important part in the dolphins' distribution throughout the year. | ||
| Morphology | These are the largest of the river dolphins; newborns measure between 75 – 80 cm and weigh approximately 75 kg; adults measure between 1.8 – 2.5 m and weigh approximately 85 – 160 kg. The body shape of the Amazon River dolphin includes a rather plump body tapering at the tail stock. It bulbous forehead ends in a long, narrow beak bearing sensory bristles on both the upper and lower jaws, allowing it to find food in a river’s depths. Individuals have between 46 – 70 teeth on both upper and lower jaws. The pectoral fins are broad and paddle-like and the flukes are broad and triangular. It lacks a prominent dorsal fin, possessing instead a low ridge and a hump along the centre of its back. Body colour is variable and individuals can be pink, grey or off-white; or indeed a mixture of all three. | ||
| Threats | The primary threats facing the Amazon River dolphin are human-induced habitat changes; including dam construction; and incidental entanglement in fishing nets. In some areas these dolphins are revered, in others there is a perceived competition for fish and they are sometimes killed deliberately. | ||
| Status | No abundance estimate is available for this species however they are thought to number in the tens of thousands. WDCS is currently co-funding a comprehensive project to estimate abundance in the main river systems of the Andean countries of South America. The project is the first of its kind and will help to provide important population information. | ||
| Conservation Activities | CMS Appendix II IUCN – Vulnerable | ||
