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Amazon River Dolphins

Amazon River Dolphins are freshwater aquatic mammals.

Amazon River Dolphin Classification:

Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family: Iniidae
Genus: Inia
Species: Geoffrensis

Other Names: Boto, Bouto, Pink Dolphin, Pink River Dolphin, Befuo, Boto Vermelho, Boto Cor-de-rosa,

Size: Amazon River Dolphins are 5.9 to 8 feet in length. They weigh approximately 217 lbs. Male Boto Dolphins are typically larger than females.

Habitat: Amazon River dolphins are found in the Amazon River and the Orinoco River systems. These rivers run through Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana and Peru.

Pink Dolphin Photo
Amazon River Dolphin

Conservation Status: on Endangered List by the IUCN


Diet:
Amazon River Dolphins feed on crustaceans, crabs, small turtles, catfish, piranha, shrimp, and other fish.

Senses: Unlike many other dolphins Amazon River Dolphins are thought to have a well developed sense of hearing. Though the Amazon River Dolphin's eyes are small it has excellent vision, both in and out of water.

Description: Amazon River Dolphins are found in all shades of pink, from a dull gray-pink, to rto a bright flamingo pink . The color variation is a result of the water clarity; typically the darker thewater, the pinker the dolphin. Sunlight will cause the dolphin to lose their pink pigmentation. The cervical vertabrae of the Amazon River Dolphin are unfused which allows them to move their head from side to side, at a 180 degrees. They have a very long narrow beak, with whiskers that are used to locate food in the mud.

Amazon River Dolphin have a ridge along its back rather than a dorsal fin and though it is fat, heavy body is surprisingly flexible. They have Paddle-like flippers which move in a circular motion, they have a surprising amount of manuevarbility to navigate around under water tree roots during floods.

Communication: Amazon River Dolphins use low frequency sounds to communicate.

Did You Know?

Amazon River Dolphins are the best known river dolphin.

Hunting:
Amazon River Dolphins use echolacation a form of built in radar to locate their prey.

Gestation: Amazon River Dolphins carry their young for 9 to 12 months. Females give birth every 4.5 to 5 years.

Birth: Amazon River Dolphin calves are 32 inches long at birth and they weigh approximately 15 pounds.

Calves: Amazon River Dolphin calves typically stay with their mothers for the first 2.5 years of their life.

Sexual Maturity: Male Boto Dolphins sexually mature at 7 feet and the females mature at about 5.5 feet, this typically occurs between the ages of 6 and 10.

Life Span: Amazon River Dolphins have a typical lifespan of 30 years or more. Their numbers have been diminshed due to pollution, habitat degradation and damage to their natural environment.

Unusual: Amazon River Dolphins swim at approximately 9 mph. They will swim up to 60 miles per day.

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