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Threats

Although these dolphins are being killed for bait to use on piracatinga, there has been high levels of mercury found in piracatinga. This had led to a 5-year law which bans the fishing of piracatinga due to implications to human health. Despite the effect this fish has to human health, the government enforcement is weak, still leading to Amazon river dolphin deaths. This legal moratorium took place on January 1, 2016. The piracatinga is a species of catfish which is native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

Diet

They are known to feed on crabs, crustaceans, catfish, and small fresh water fish

Description

Pink river dolphins have a unique characteristic which is their vertebrae in its neck, which allows for the 180-degree head turn. This 180-degree turn gives them greater flexibility in shallow waters and grasslands. Their brain capacity is known to be around 40% larger than that of humans.

Behavior

During prey time, as many as 35 pink dolphins work together to obtain their prey.

Echolocation

While preying in murky water, they emit series of clicking noises, 30 to 80 per second, which they use by listening to the bouncing sonar which bounces off their prey.

Mythology

According to the pink Amazon river dolphin myth, it is said that this creature takes form of a human and seduces men and woman to the Underworld of Encante. This underworld place is said to be 'Atlantis-like Paradise', yet no one has come back from it alive. Myths say that whoever kills the amazon dolphin will have bad luck upon their life, but it's worse for whoever eats it.

See Also

Piracatinga

Boto