Fun River Dolphin Facts For Kids

The Amazon River dolphin (also referred to as the pink River dolphin and botos) is a freshwater mammal that lives within the Amazon and Orinoco river basins that run through Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Peru. This species is smaller than other kinds of seawater dolphins and is known for its outstanding hearing. These dolphins must sleep in warm, shallow water areas because they need little or no blubber. River dolphins suffer in captivity with few aquariums ready to keep them alive.

Amazon River dolphins usually become additionally pink as they age, which has led to the species to be called 'the pink dolphin'.

River dolphins have exceptionally massive brains, and whereas dolphin groups are noted for swimming in teams, river dolphins tend to stay longer alone or among little groups of two to four dolphins. You may see an even bigger cluster of them in areas that are wealthy with food. However, it is less common with freshwater dolphins.

Here on our page, we have many interesting Amazon River dolphin facts for our readers to enjoy. If you like these, then do also read our Sumatran elephant and walrus facts.

What type of animal is an Amazon River dolphin?

Amazon River dolphins are river dolphins that are found in the river basins of South America.

What class of animal does an Amazon River dolphin belong to?

The Amazon River dolphin belongs to the Mammalia class of animals.

How many Amazon River dolphins are there in the world?

The calculable dolphin population is tough to estimate because the dolphins stay in remote, muddy waters, and lack a distinctive fin that makes it to recognize them. However, Amazon River dolphins are under the threat of extinction.

Where does an Amazon River dolphin live?

Amazon River dolphins (pink river dolphins) stay in freshwater areas as well as lakes, huge rivers, and little tributaries. Because the Amazon is fed by giant stretches of rainforest, each year it floods its banks for extended periods of time. Throughout this period, Amazon River dolphins can expand across the immense inland seas that are created in floodplains.

What is an Amazon River dolphin's habitat?

The Amazon pink river dolphin swims throughout a lot of the illustrious South American river basin and, therefore, the neighboring Orinoco River basin that stretches through Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. They also inhabit the Araguaia-Tocantins river system in Brazil. The Bolivian river dolphin stays in streams and lagoons within the Bolivian Amazon and is slightly smaller than the closer Amazon pink river dolphin.

Who do Amazon River dolphins live with?

The Amazon River dolphin is usually seen alone or in little groups of two to four individuals. In some food-rich areas, or at the Amazonian river mouths, they'll typically be found in larger groups; however, this is less common.

How long does an Amazon River dolphin live?

The average Amazon River dolphin lifespan is 12 to 18 years, however, they can also live for as long as 30 years if they're not prone to sickness or disease.

How do they reproduce?

In South America, spring is for the rainy season. Throughout this point, acres and acres of the rainforest will flood, turning into a vast tree-covered ocean. The water becomes deep enough for the river dolphins to swim between the trees. Mating season happens once the water recedes, and therefore the male and female dolphins are constricted to the river channels.

The dolphin species is polygamous, which means males mate with many females annually. However, females don’t mate each year. They mate every two to three years.

Female river dolphins are additionally drawn to males that are a brighter shade of pink. To attract and impress the female dolphins, freshwater dolphins smack the water with bunches of grasses or branches in their mouths. Once a female dolphin becomes pregnant, she’ll carry the calf for 11 to 15 months. The animal species offers birth to merely one calf. Once the baby dolphin is born, it'll nurse it for over a year.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN Red List, the Amazon River dolphins were last assessed in June of 2018. The estimate of mature river dolphins isn't listed, however, it's expected that they're on a declining trend as they face several threats. The Amazon River dolphin population is not much, therefore the pink river dolphin has been listed as an endangered species.

What do Amazon River dolphins look like?

The Amazon River dolphin has a dolphin smile. They are recognizable by their rounded foreheads and long, slender beaks. These dolphins have conical-shaped teeth that they use to catch little fish and different prey. The dolphin has a protracted nose that may measure up to 23 in (58 cm) long, and this can be four times longer than the nose of ocean dolphins. The dolphin includes a bicameral abdomen, and they breathe by emitting air through a blowhole.

They even have the power to swim forward by using one flipper, whereas the opposite flipper paddles backward. This swimming technique lets them create tight turns. River dolphins prefer to swim upside down.

* Please note that this is an image of a dolphin, not specifically an Amazon River dolphin. If you have any image of an Amazon River dolphin, please let us know at [email protected]

How cute are they?

Despite having tiny eyes, river dolphins navigate muddy waters with ease due to exquisite sonar. Perhaps the simplest among all the cetaceans. They're typically friendly and curious toward humans and are quite cute too.

How do they communicate?

Amazon River dolphins communicate by the use of differing kinds of clicks and whistles. Amazon River dolphins are quite frolicsome, curious, and extremely smart creatures. These animals are ready to acknowledge potential threats related to humans and learn to avoid them.

How big is an Amazon River dolphin?

The Amazon River dolphin is 71.8-108 in (182.9cm-274.3 cm) long. It is two times bigger than a harp seal.

How fast can an Amazon River dolphin move?

The Amazon pink River dolphin can travel 18 miles per hour (28.97 km).

How much does an Amazon River dolphin weigh?

The river dolphin weighs 220-440 lb (100-200 kg). The males weigh much more than the females.

What are their male and female names of the species?

Male dolphins are known as Bulls, and female dolphins are known as Cows.

What would you call a baby Amazon River dolphin?

The baby dolphins are known as calves.

What do they eat?

Amazon River dolphins have teeth that are almost like the molar teeth that humans have. As individuals, the animals use their teeth to break up food before swallowing it. They aren’t meticulous regarding what they eat. The Amazon River dolphin diet includes turtles, shrimp, crabs, and over forty completely different species of fish as well as piranha fish.

Are they dangerous?

Male botos interact in aggressive biting matches that scar their skin, causing bright pink patches to appear. After a lifespan of bites, their whole bodies take a pink color, a testament to a lifetime of aggressive encounters with different males. They're typically friendly and curious toward humans.

Would they make a good pet?

They would ideally make a good pet since they are curious and friendly towards humans, but we must keep in mind that these mammals were never meant to be taken out of the wild; therefore, it is best to let them be for their population to increase. They mostly fight with one other but do not harm humans and instead like to interact with them.

Did you know...

While not aggressive with humans, Amazon River dolphins would typically fight each other and leave good amounts of scar tissue. It’s hypothesized this scar tissue turns pink and could be a reason why older males tend to possess the distinctive pink coloration. A high level of rain causes the muddy bottoms of rivers to show a red or pink hue. Amazon river dolphin adaptations might have merely evolved to better mix in with their surroundings.

Amazon River dolphins are born gray, and males tend to become pink as they age. Additionally, this pink coloration remarkably only covers some components of their body, whereas areas of gray stay. It’s hypothesized that males with additional pink coloration are able to attract mates more in the river system.

Is the Amazon River dolphin Endangered?

The pink dolphin conservation status has been listed as an Endangered species. They face several threats like Amazon River dolphin predators. The organization is buying instrumentation and provides for native residents to help in data-based sightings of resident Amazon River dolphins. These sightings can help produce a photograph identification log of all the dolphins.

Different Types Of Dolphins

There are various types of dolphins in the world. Some of them are: long-beaked common dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Northern Right whale dolphin, Southern Right whale dolphin, Indo-Pacific hump-backed dolphin, Chinese white dolphin, Atlantic humpbacked dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin, Clymene dolphin, Pantropical spotted dolphin, spinner dolphin. These are just a few of the species of dolphins in the world.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other animals, including the pumpkinseed sunfish and Caribbean reef sharks.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Amazon River dolphin coloring pages.