Thursday 29 April 2010 Irrawaddy Dolphins - Beakless Wonders

The Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is a unique mammal that wanders in the seas and rivers of South and Southeast Asia. This small, beakless aquatic mammal lives at peace with humans. The dolphin swims in freshwater lagoons, large rivers, as well as estuaries. The Irrawaddy Dolphin has a protruding forehead, ridge-like lips, and a jaw that contains 15-20 pairs of teeth. The head muscles allow the dolphin to demonstrate several facial expressions as they move back and forth and side to side and is easily distinguishable from many of the other species of dolphins.

This beautiful mammal can grow up to 2.44 meters (8 feet) after being born as a meager one meter (3.3 feet). At birth, the calfs weigh approximately 10 kilograms (22 pounds) and can weigh 90-150 kilograms (198-330 pounds) as an adult. The Irrawaddy's color can range from a beautiful blue to a light gray. These mammals will never win a swim competition because they tend to swim at a slow pace. The Irrawaddy have a decadent pallet which includes crustaceans, squid and fish. While they enjoy their meals, the Irrawaddy engages in spitting water, which is unique to this species of dolphin. Socializing is another activity that includes the spitting of water. They also use creaking, clicking, and buzzing sounds to communicate with one another.

The Irrawaddy are in the orca family, however unlike the killer whales, these dolphins are quite docile. In fact, these mammals can be found working side-by-side with the local anglers. They will force fish to the nets for the villagers and then f="center">Sea
mammals