Beasley, Isabel, Chooruk, Somserm, and Piwpong, Nitikorn (2002) The status of the Irrawaddy dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris, in Songkhla Lake, Southern Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 10. pp. 75-83.

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Abstract

Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) have previously been reported to occur in Songkhla Lake, but there have been no surveys undertaken and little information has been gathered on the status of the population. Boat, aerial and interview surveys were conducted in the Lake, which revealed a low sighting rate and high levels of mortality. It appears that the population is now restricted to the upper freshwater portion of Songkhla Lake, with no movement between the lake and coastal marine waters.

Due to the high number of strandings in the area, a local dolphin conservation group was formed in 1996, in an effort to publicise the importance of conserving dolphins in the Lake. However, conservation efforts are difficult to implement and enforce, due to the importance of the Lake to the local community for subsistence fisheries and agriculture. Effective conservation measures are urgently required to ensure the survival of Irrawaddy Dolphins which inhabit this freshwater environment.

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