Amazon River Dolphin
Inia geoffrensis
Conservation Status
EndangeredMammalia · Cetacea · Iniidae
About
The Amazon river dolphin, 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. g. geoffrensis, I. g. boliviensis and I. g. humboldtiana. The position of the Araguaian river dolphin within the clade is still unclear. The three subspecies are distributed in the Amazon basin, the upper Madeira River in Bolivia, and the Orinoco basin, respectively.
Fun Fact
Amazon river dolphins are pink — the colour intensifies when they're excited — and they have unfused neck vertebrae that let them turn their heads 90 degrees to navigate flooded forests.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Rivers and floodplains
Diet
Piscivore
Lifespan
10-30 years
Threats
- Wetland Drainage
- Small Population Size
- Illegal Wildlife Trade
- Water Pollution