ads

Pink Dolphin Physical Description










Pink Dolphin Physical Description


Size: 2.5 to 3 meters (8.25 ft to 9.75 ft) and 90 kilograms (200 lbs.).
Males are generally larger.

Habitat and Distribution: Tributaries and main rivers of the Orinoco River systems of South America. They tend to gather at confluences of rivers.

Reproduction: Pink Dolphin Calves can be born between July and September, but in front of Dolphin Corners, our lodge becomes a nursery for calves during December-February. Calves are born about 75 cm (30 in.) long, and weighing just over 1 kg. (2.2 lbs.) after a gestation period believed to be nine to twelve months. Sexual maturity in males is reached when they are about two meters (7 ft.) long, and females at 1.7 meter (5.5 ft.) at an unknown age

Diet: Crustaceans, catfish and small fresh water fish. A unique characteristic of Inia geoffrensis is the unfused vertebrae in its neck, which allows for the 180-degree head turn, giving them greater flexibility in floodplain forests, grassland, tributaries and shallow waters. Pink Dolphin have a hump on their back instead of a dorsal fin.

Coloration: The reasons for the unique coloration of Inia geoffrensis are poorly understood, but the presence of capillaries near the surface of the skin probably accounts for much of its characteristic pink flush. Other factors may include age of the animal, chemical disposition of the water (especially iron content), and the temperature of the water.
Pink Dolphin
river-pink-dolphins

Biology of River Dolphins

Biology of River Dolphins
About Pink dolphins
Social Habits

Ecological factors strongly influence social behavior. Because Amazon River dolphins do not have any known natural predators -- other than humans -- they do not need to live in large groups, or "pods," protection as many dolphin species.

Inia geoffrensis (pink dolphins) engage in solitary hunting/feeding strategies during the high water season when their prey fishes disperse into the floodplains. At other times, they are found in small "family" groups of 5-8 animals which seem to be led by a dominant adult male. At river confluences, we have seen as many as 35 pink dolphins cooperatively herding and banking fish, often in association with the gray dolphins.

Sotalia fluviatlis (gray dolphins) are strongly gregarious animals and manifest strong social ties with their own kind. Given that they seem to practice a polyandrous breeding system and females tend to be a bit larger than males, they may have a matriarchal social order.
About Pink dolphins
pink-dolphin-data-2