10 characteristics of the pink dolphin

He pink dolphin is also known by the name of buffalo either amazon dolphin, and is considered the largest species of river dolphins. Currently, the existence of three subspecies of this mammal is known: the Bolivian pink dolphin, the Amazon and the Orinoco.

It can normally be found in the Amazon, Madeira and Orinoco rivers, and it is known that the territory where they inhabit can cover at least 7 million square kilometers, including rapid waters, marine waters, waterfalls and even the lower part of rivers.

pink dolphin features

1. They have sexual dimorphism: This type of mammals show quite evident sexual dimorphism. In the case of males, they have a smaller size and weight compared to the female. Males can measure up to 2 meters long, and their weight can be 95 kilograms. In the case of females, they can measure up to 2.5 meters long, and their weight can reach 99 kilograms.
2. Her pink skin is a product of the years: Actually, the typical pink coloration of their skin is acquired over time. When they are born and in the beginning of his years his skin is gray, already in their mid-teens this gray becomes a little lighter, and once they reach adulthood, it is when they turn pink, as a consequence of the skin wear. In general, males are usually pinker than females.
3. They are usually alone: It is very common for pink dolphins to be solitary cetaceans and very rarely are they seen grouped with other members. Sometimes you can see the mothers in the company of their young. The times that a large number of pink dolphins have been observed together, it is because they are located in areas where there is a greater amount of food.
4. They are a bit more shy: The pink dolphins they are not very playful or acrobats Like other species of dolphins, however, they have occasionally been seen interacting with other animals, such as turtles and fish.
5. His head is quite flexible: Thanks to the fact that they do not have cervical vertebrae, pink dolphins can turn their heads up to 180 degrees, allowing them to perform different types of very flexible movements. This flexibility means that most of the time they are swimming facing the bottom of the river, in search of food.



6. Family Platanisdae: Since the pink dolphin belongs to the Platanisdae family, it is characterized by having small eyes and one rather prominent forehead, and its main difference with respect to other marine dolphins, in addition to its characteristic pink color, is its dorsal fin, which is usually flatter and longer.
7. Intelligence: They are a quite intelligent animal species, it is even their enormous intelligence that allows them to swim, since most of them are blind or almost blind. It is considered a very intelligent animal species and different studies have determined that they have a brain capacity 30% greater than that of humans.
8. born hunters: The pink dolphins of the Amazon are excellent hunters, and they do not distinguish between day and night to trigger hunting. Your diet includes at least 50 species of fish, and these include the crab and the turtles.
9. Reproduction: Regardless of the subspecies, male and female pink dolphins usually begin the mating stage once they have reached the sexual maturityThis usually happens when the male measures 2 meters and the female reaches 1.8 meters, between 6 and 7 years of life, respectively. The gestation period of this type of animal usually takes between 9 and 12 months, in which females usually give birth to their young between May and July.
10. pink dolphin pups: When the young of these dolphins are born, they usually have a length of 80cm, and their lactation period lasts at least a year, which creates a strong bond between calf and mother, which is why they are often seen together for a long period of time.

The pink dolphin is one of the many animals found in Danger of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, who classified it as a threatened and vulnerable species.

One of the main reasons for the death of this species is gold mines, since substances such as mercury are used in them for the extraction process, where the levels of water contamination are very notable and destructive.

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