Baby Pink Dolphin: Know Curious Facts On River Dolphin

The pink river dolphin is an extremely rare animal.

These dolphins have glossy pink bellies, and their population is drastically affected. Researchers believe that the calves share their mother's genetic mutation.

Baby pink dolphins, also known as Amazon river dolphins inhabit the shallow parts of the river, waterfalls, and other marine waters. Their distribution is seen in the Amazon and Orinoco river basin along with its tributaries.

Its scientific name is Inia geoffrensis and a total of three subspecies are recognized to date. These species of pink dolphins are the largest river dolphins with the females of length 86 in (2 m) and the males 100 in (2.5 m).

Males are generally larger than females and are also pinker in color. This particular feature marks them as one of the most sexually dimorphic animals.

They have a flexible body and they are capable to move their head in all directions. Such a fantastic creature is seen to be extremely playful in captivity. However, they are considered to be slow swimmers than most other dolphins.

They display acts of courtship and the pink dolphin gives birth to a pink calf. Females are seen to lactate the pink calf, which soon resurfaces for air after their birth.

The average lifespan is quite short and is reported to be about 33 months in captivity. They attain reproductive maturity at five years of age.

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Baby Pink Dolphin Classification

Baby pink dolphins belong to the Iniidae family of the Mammalia class. All the whales, dolphins, and porpoises fall under the infraorder Cetacea.

Such a unique mammal is a rare species to find. Human activities have affected the fisheries in a tremendous manner.

Excessive demand for fish has led to the decrease in the population of these dolphins, whose diet included fish. Moreover, the hydroelectric dams have led to the availability of fish downstream, thereby depriving the Amazon river dolphin species.

Increased use of pesticides drastically affected this extremely rare pink dolphin species. These dolphins undergo seasonal breeding and the birth of the pink baby mostly takes place in the months of May and July. During this time, several fish species aggregate in large numbers, thereby providing easy access to food during pregnancy.

Their gestation period lasts for about 11 months. The pink baby undergoes an extensive period of lactation and is known to develop a strong bond with their mothers.

Baby Pink Dolphin Spotting

Such a fantastic creature was recently spotted in the Calcasieu River in Louisiana by Captain Erik Rue. It was seen to swim with her pink baby calf.

Captain Erik Rue described this rare species as extremely sexually active in nature. The incredible mammal showcased a glossy pink belly, which seemed to be quite unique.

Again, the pink river dolphin was spotted by a man named Thomas Adams. He saw the pink dolphin swimming with her pink calf Calcasieu ship channel in Louisiana. Originally, such a unique mammal was spotted more than a decade ago.

Researchers claimed that the pink body color is mainly due to a rare genetic mutation observed in Pinky's calf as well. The Endangered pink dolphin is only left in a very small number. They are an extremely intelligent species and hunt down their prey quite tactfully.

They use frequencies and echolocation to communicate with other species. Captive pink dolphins are known to produce about 10 distinct sounds, which range from squeaking and cracking to loud chuckles.

Baby Pink Dolphin Rarity

This extremely rare pink dolphin is highly vulnerable due to destructive human activities. Only about a few thousand of these species are present as of now.

This rare pink dolphin has several other names as well, which include boto, bufeo, etc. This Endangered pink dolphin is a part of Amazonian folklore.

The Amazonian people believe that these creatures possess superpowers, and thus, they are protected by these people. These dolphins are known to damage fish equipment and steal fish from nets, and therefore, many of them were killed or shot in the past.

According to the IUCN Red List, these dolphins are Endangered species. They are also known to be aggressive. Their short lifespan and aggressive nature make it difficult to maintain them in captivity.

It first came into popularity about a decade ago when Captain Erik Rue saw it mating with other dolphins in the Calcasieu ship channel in Louisiana. Thus, Louisiana is deemed to be famous for these amazing pink dolphins.

Baby Pink Dolphin Food

The primary diet of this rare pink dolphin includes a wide variety of fish species, that range in different shapes and sizes and can belong to more than 19 fish families.

Their most preferable fish species are drums or croakers belonging to the Sciaenidae family, cichlids of the family Cichlidae, and characins and tetras from the Characidae family. They also love preying on piranhas belonging to the Serrasalmidae family.

They possess a heterodont dentition, which makes them capable to crush hard-shelled prey like crabs and river turtles. These dolphins show a selective eating habit during the dry season when the fish population increases in the rivers.

During the wet season, they prey on any fish species that they find. Mostly, they feed solitarily but sometimes hunt in small groups of giant otters and tucuxis.

They are also seen to share their food with other dolphins in captivity. These dolphins are predated by anacondas, bull sharks, jaguars, and black caimans.

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