The Fisheries Administration and World Wildlife Fund Cambodia (WWF) recorded a third dolphin calf born in the four months from January to April, with the conservation NGO saying that this year’s number of dolphin deaths has dropped by 50 per cent.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on April 25 announced that it had spotted a new one week-old dolphin calf swimming alongside two adult dolphins. Teams from the Kratie and Stung Treng Fisheries Administrations and WWF recorded the newborn dolphin calf as the third calf born between January and April 2023.

“The teams recorded this new dolphin calf at 13:42 on April 25, 2023. It was swimming along with other two adult dolphins at Anlung Konsat in Koh Preah village of Koh Preah commune in Stung Treng province’s Siem Bok district,” the ministry stated.

Ouk Vibol, director of the Fisheries Conservation Department at the agriculture ministry, said on April 26 that he was very happy about the sighting of a new calf.

He added that Cambodia had a total of three dolphin calves born this year and since the beginning of January, 2022. Cambodia has had a total of six newborn dolphin calves, though one died recently.

"There was a more than 50 per cent drop in deaths for this period compared to last year, but we still have to work hard to reduce dolphin deaths to the lowest possible level.

“In other words, we cannot help it if the dolphins die from natural causes, but if they die from nets or electrical shocks, that is unacceptable to us and we have tried hard to prevent those deaths,” Vibol emphasised.