The Irrawaddy dolphin, better known as ‘Smiley Face’, has been found dead on a beach covered in trash, shockingly.
According to Karmagawa, a charity in Florida, USA, on the 22nd (local time), the body of an Irrawaddy dolphin was found on Toboali Beach in Indonesia’s Bangkavelitung Province earlier this month. Photos from the time released by the group show that the dolphin died on a beach full of rubbish.
Local resident Iwan Fadil, who first discovered the dolphin carcass, said on Instagram, “Who will be responsible for this tragedy?” I hope this video will be a lesson for everyone.”
“Tragedies like this happen every day around the world, but many people don’t like to think about how humans treat the planet,” the group said.
“Plastic and trash are piling up in our rivers and oceans, and marine life is suffering greatly,” he said.
The beach where the Irrawaddy dolphin carcass was found is littered with rubbish. InstagramThe Irrawaddy dolphin is called the ‘smiling dolphin’ because it looks like it is smiling because of its rounded forehead and short snout. It is classified as an endangered species on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Irrawaddy dolphins live in Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, etc., but their population has declined sharply due to pollution of the Mekong River and illegal capture. According to Cambodian authorities, the number of Irrawaddy dolphins living in the Mekong River has declined from about 200 in 1997 to 89 in 2020.
Marine pollution continues to be a problem in Indonesia. In 2018, 6kg of garbage, including plastic cups, vinyl, and slippers, was found in the stomach of a sperm whale.
It is known that 620,000 tonnes of garbage is dumped into Indonesia’s seas annually. In response, Indonesian authorities have announced that they will take action to reduce long-term marine pollution by 2025.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.