![]() This trait coupled with their ability to paddle forward with one flipper, while paddling backward with the other helps them maneuver when the river floods. For one, Amazon River dolphins are able to turn their necks from side to side while most species of dolphin cannot. There are several anatomical differences between the Amazon River dolphin and other types of dolphins. They can blushĪmazon river dolphins are also known to flush a bright pink color when they become excited! 8. Another theory is the coloration is a way to camouflage themselves against the reddish mud that occurs in some stretches of the river to help avoid being noticed by predators. Others argue the color variation is due to the clarity of the water in which the dolphin lives: the darker the water, the pinker the dolphin will be as the sun’s rays cause the dolphins to lose their pink pigmentation. Some believe age is a factor, with younger dolphins being gray and they get pinker with age, with adult males usually the pinkest. They come in all shades of pink, from a dull gray-pink, to rosy colored pink, to a bright pink like that of the flamingo. There is an Amazonian legend that the pink river dolphins stalk the rainforest at night disguised as handsome, white-hat wearing men (the hat is used to hide their blowhole) in order to seduce and impregnate innocent local women. They are brainiacsĪmongst the five living species of river dolphins, pink Amazon river dolphins are the most intelligent, with a brain capacity that is 40% larger than that of humans. They are slightly smaller than sea dolphins with Amazon river dolphins averaging about 6.5 feet in length and weighing between 185 and 355 pounds when fully grown. Additionally, their appearance is quite distinct, and you’ll notice they often only tend to just breach the surface, rather than jumping high out of the water like gray dolphins. In truth, they are actually only distantly related to sea dolphins. Pink Amazon river dolphins are not the same dolphins you may find in the ocean (like the tucuxi which is not closely related to them genetically) and have quite a few special adaptations to their habitat. They aren’t the only species of dolphin in the Amazonĭespite their name, there are actually two other species of river dolphin (the Bolivian and Araguaian) and the oceanic Gray Dolphin (known to locals as the Tucuxi) that also call the Amazon river home. However the pink river dolphins are undoubtedly the most recognizable. ![]() Learn more about them before you head to the Amazon with these 15 interesting facts about Pink River Dolphins below. ![]() Known to locals as the Boto, or more frequently referred to as the Pink River Dolphin on account of its distinctive coloring, these fascinating creatures are steeped in myth and legend and have evolved to be highly specialized to their environment. The Amazon River itself is teeming with rich biodiversity: in the dark waters swim piranhas, crocodiles, manatees, and one of our favorites, the Amazon river dolphin. With so many exotic species living in the Amazon rainforest, most people forget that it’s not only the rainforest canopy and dense undergrowth that is home to wildlife. ![]()
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