30 July
On the River

Dolphins - our river companions

Watching dolphins arcing up out the depths of the river has been one of our most fascinating wildlife experiences since leaving Porto Velho. Although dolphins are associated with the sea, there are some species, which have adapted to freshwater. Two types are found in almost all the tributaries of the Amazon River. These dolphins feed on the Amazon's abundant fish life - over 2000 species in all. The river dolphins are not as sociable as their marine counterparts.

One species of dolphin (Inia Geoffrensis) is distinctly pink in colour, has a pointed beak and a ridge along its back, while the Sotalia Fluviatilis is grey and has a dorsal fin. The pink dolphin stuns its prey with sound bursts along the bottom of the river, while the grey dolphin hunts nearer the surface. Neither species leaps completely out of the water as readily as the oceanic dolphins. The dolphins stay away from the region above Porto Velho, which consists of 19 falls or rapids. Above that a third type, the Inia Boliviensis flourishes. Fresh water dolphins are also found in the Yangtze River in China, and the Ganges River in India.