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​Exotic visitor gets into trouble, FiA comes to the rescue

The lost Risso's dolphin was rescued by FiA officials and returned to deeper waters. FiA

A young male dolphin – a species never officially sighted in the Kingdom before – has been rescued after becoming virtually “stranded” in Koh Kong province.

The lucky mammal is a Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), a widespread oceanic dolphin that is common in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Residents of Peam Krasop commune in Mondul Seima district spotted the young dolphin, which had apparently chased its prey into shallow waters and was then caught by the low tide, and immediately alerted the authorities.

According to Seng Bunna, head of the provincial Fisheries Administration (FiA), officials from the Smach Meanchey Fisheries District and the Peam Krasop fishing community were able to rescue the curious visitor on August 26.

“Local residents saw him caught near their homes and reported it to fishing community officials, who asked FiA for assistance. He came hunting for food, but when the water receded, he could not find a way back through the mangrove forest and got stuck in the shallow water,” he said on August 28.

Bunna explained that a study conducted by the IUCN project in 2015 found no Risso's dolphins in Cambodian waters.

Officials are preparing to release the young dolphin, which was stranded in shallow waters after a failed hunting trip. FiA

“The 2015 IUCN study recorded 11 species of dolphins in Cambodia, including three in Koh Kong province. The Rizzo's dolphin was not found in the sea of ​​Koh Kong province. It was only sighted last year,” he added.

The male dolphin was 2.40 meters long and weighed about 120 kilograms, so he was a curious teenager. Adult Rizzo's dolphins can weigh up to 500 kilograms, making them among the largest dolphins in existence. Their global population is estimated at over 200,000 animals.

Bunna pointed out that the three species identified in Koh Kong in 2015 are all considered endangered and their total population is estimated at 500.

“Local fishermen have caught dolphins before, but they do not keep them. They believe that catching dolphins brings bad luck. They release them,” he said, explaining that the new species has not yet been officially registered in the province.

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