A few Mekong Dolphins still inhabit the lower Mekong River around the Khone Falls in southern Laos. This turbulent complex of rapids and waterfalls makes it impossible for the mammals to move further upstream. Until six years ago, the dolphins could be seen on the other side of the falls at Attapeu, Sekong, Sepian and Sekaman, but not anymore. Nobody knows why. Villagers think that now there are less than 10 dolphins in Ban Hang Khone compared to at least twice that number five years ago. They think that only an estimated 100 remain in the entire river, and most of these over the border in Cambodia. The endangered Mekong Dolphin, also known as the Irrawaddy Dolphin or Paa Khaa in Lao, is a very distinct race from the other dolphins found in the South China Sea, Northern Australia and the Yangtze River. The Mekong Dolphin has a rounded head with no beak and a flexible neck and its colour varies from dark blue-grey to pale blue. Why have their numbers fallen so dramatically? Fishermen and observers like Ian Baird, director of the Global Association for People and the Environment (GAPE), an NGO based in Laos, point to the use of explosives by fishermen, the hazards posed by gill nets and razor sharp boat propellers. For Lao people dolphins are reincarnations of human beings and there are many legends about dolphins saving villagers who have fallen into the Mekong River. The people of Hang Khone know that dolphins mean more tourists but they also realize that it is important to save the dolphins for future generations to enjoy. For more information on how to see Mekong Dolphins contact our offices in Laos or Cambodia.