Will Myanmar lose its Irrawaddy dolphins?
Tears fill U Maung Lay’s eyes as he describes losing the dolphin he knew since his childhood, the latest casualty of a battle against pollution and electrofishing that may see the species disappear from Myanmar. Loved for generations for corralling the catch into fishermen’s nets, the “smiling” Irrawaddy dolphins are being killed in record numbers by rogue gangs who use car batteries to stun aquatic life. The illegal technique now threatens to wipe out the dolphins and the tourist bonanza they promise. U Maung Lay’s dolphin, known as Thar Gyi Ma, was found washed up on the banks of the river in November. When locals cut her body open, they found she was pregnant. “She is irreplaceable because she’s like my own parents. I’m heartbroken,” the 55-year-old told AFP inside his bamboo hut, in a small village a few hours by boat from Mandalay.
