Ayeyarwady Dolphin Conservation Zone in Myanmar to Be Extended

The new conservation zone will stretch from Htigyaing township in Sagaing Region in the South to Shwegu township in Kachin State in the North. 

Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) river dolphin is considered an endangered spicies. This year, over 30 dolphins have been encountered in certain parts of the river leading the Department of Fisheries to suggest an initiative of extention of the current protection areas, which are only 70 km long, from Mingin in Sagaing and Kyauk Myaung in Mandalay Region. The villagers in the respective regions have already been advised and have agreed with the extension.

Currently 68 dolphins are believed to reside in protected areas of the river. They are a big draw for tourists who are coming in numbers to meet them thus creating one of the most dangerous challenges for survival of these creatures. Tour boats put a great strain on dolphins and the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation in Myanmar is going to cooperate with the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism to ensure excessive tourism does not produce a negative impact on the dolphins. In order to make tourist activities in the region more sustainable, six Ayeyarwady villages have joined a community-based tourism program.

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