Where blind dolphins live

Among the variety of dolphins that inhabit the warm waters of our planet, there is a group of freshwater or river dolphins. Different species of these mammals live in the Amazon, rivers and lakes of China, in the rivers of India. Representatives of the family of river dolphins are the most ancient among their relatives. It is believed that they have a more primitive structure compared to sea dolphins. In their brain there are fewer convolutions, the dorsal fin is usually absent, and the head has a characteristic elongated narrow beak, like their ancient ancestor - squalodont. But the special structure of the cervical vertebrae allows river dolphins to turn their heads in relation to the body up to 90º, which their marine relatives lack.

Unfortunately, in recent decades, the number of representatives of this amazing species has been declining. According to rough estimates, their number is only a few thousand individuals. Today, this dolphin is classified as endangered species. But this happens not because of hunting for these animals (it is almost never conducted), but because of changes in their traditional habitats. The fact is that due to the construction of a hydroelectric station on the rivers of the region, the habitat of these dolphins was divided into several sections. For example, the Ganges river dolphins are divided into four isolated populations after the construction of dams. An international team of scientists is developing measures to build bypass channels for dolphins to correct the situation. Therefore, we can hope that soon this species will not be threatened with extinction.