Dolphins, as we usually know them, basically have spindle-shaped bodies, skulls stacked, maxillas that extend backwards to overlap the frontal bone, and have a relatively long beak. But there is also an outlier in the dolphin family, which does not have a long beak and a more pointed head, but a round head similar to that of a human. This dolphin is the Irrawaddy Dolphin.
Naming it the Irrawaddy Dolphin doesn't mean that the dolphin really lives in the Irrawaddy River, and if it is really in the Irrawaddy River, it has to be renamed the pufferfish.
However, this dolphin is indeed different from other dolphins, and their activities are mainly concentrated in the offshore area, especially the estuarine area or delta area. Because these areas are neutralized by freshwater rivers, the salt of the seawater is relatively low, and irrawaddy dolphins like to be active in the relatively light waters, and sometimes even swim back to the freshwater rivers to hunt.
In addition, the diving ability of Irrawaddy dolphins is second to none among the dolphin families, and they can dive into the water for 12 minutes without having to come out to breathe. A variety of cephalopods, crustaceans and bony fish offshore are the favorite food of the Irrawaddy dolphins.
Irrawaddy dolphins are also very mischievous, and they will spit like prey when hunting, and will show a smile similar to that of humans. The body length is similar to that of most dolphins, and the length of adult Irrawaddy dolphins is usually 2.1 to 2.5 meters.
But when it comes to speed, irrawaddy dolphins are slower in the dolphin family. Because they don't have a long beak and a pointed head like other dolphins, they have to withstand stronger resistance in the water. It is also for this reason that the Irrawaddy Dolphins are relatively quiet. They usually swim slowly in the sea and only accelerate abruptly when needed.
Although Irrawaddy dolphins are a social dolphin, they do not like to stay in large groups, usually only in small groups of about three or five. They have very high IQs and strong social skills, not only within small groups, but also interact with other groups. Most creatures are immune to infighting (including humans), but so far, two Irrawaddy dolphins have never been found fighting.
In terms of reproductive ability, the Irrawaddy dolphin is relatively poor, and a female Irrawaddy dolphin can only give birth to a cub every three years after sexual maturity. Fortunately, the cubs can reach a length of nearly one meter after birth, so there is no need to worry about the survival rate.
Wallface thought:
It is said that the luck of the animals that love to laugh will not be bad, but the optimistic smile has not brought any good luck to the Irrawaddy dolphins. Due to human hunting and their own low reproductive efficiency, the Irrawaddy dolphin has become one of the rarest dolphin species in the world. Maybe one day they will die out, and many people won't know they ever existed.