By: Daniel Soutar, 8G

The Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin has a long beak, large melon, and well-rounded flippers.

The dorsal fin rests on a 'hump', and the tailstock is thick with a keel.

is are brown-grey, pale grey or pink-white on their upper sides, with a lighter underside and the presence of speckles.

reaches a maximum of 2.8m in length, and weighs around 284kg

Prefer to live in water less than 20m deep There are estimated to be 1,400 pink dolphins in the

waters of the Pearl River estuary and the adjacent waters of Hong Kong.

Dolphins are drawn to the mixing of fresh and salt waters at the mouths of large rivers to feed on anchovy, mullet, croackers and lion-heads, so they are often found near large cities

Threats to the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin in Hong Kong:

Sewage. The Pearl River drains much of the land of southeast China, including industrial and agricultural and untreated human sewage

Chemicals. Chemicals found in the dolphins are DDT and PCBs, heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium and high levels of streptococus coming from human and animal waste.

Sea traffic such as ferries - some dolphins become entangled in the trawl gear and drown.

Depletion of fish stocks

Because the Indo Pacific Humpback Dolphins live in shallow water, they are more threatened by exposure to people, any changes in habitat and pollution than open water dolphin species. Several countries list them as “rare”.

Gather information on population densities and distributions so that an effective conservation plan can be put into action.

Implement sustainable fisheries management to ensure adequate fish for the dolphins to eat;

Minimise the amount of pollution and sediment output into coastal waters through appropriate catchment management

The Environmental Protection Department has implemented a comprehensive marine water quality monitoring programme since 1986. The aims and objectives of the marine monitoring programme are to:

indicate the state of coastal waters; assess compliance with the statutory Water

Quality Objectives (WQOs); reveal long-term changes in water quality; provide a basis for planning water pollution

control strategies; measure the benefit of water quality

improvement measures.

Gather information on dolphinsAllows us to protect them better and enjoy

them for longer. Implement sustainable fisheries

management to ensure adequate fish for the dolphins to eatAllows more fish for us to eat too in future.

Minimise the amount of pollution and sediment output into coastal waters through appropriate catchment management; Creates a better, greener environment for

humans also.

By: Daniel Soutar, 8G