Deaths of 3 endangered Cambodian dolphins raise alarm

By SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Conservationists in Cambodia are alarmed at the deaths of three endangered freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins, whose population has seriously declined in recent years. The deaths occurred within 10 days of each other. The World Wildlife Fund said the cause of the latest death is believed to be entanglement in an illegal fishing line. The organization says it spotlights the need for law enforcement to help save the species, also known as the Mekong River dolphin. The first census of Irrawaddy dolphins in Cambodia in 1997 estimated their total population was about 200. In 2020, the population was estimated to have fallen to 89. WWF said 11 dolphins have died in 2022 and 29 died in the last three years.