Description

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The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is a species of humpback dolphin found in the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans. In some areas, it is known as the Chinese white dolphin. While some biologists believe it is a subspecies of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, DNA testing has revealed that they are two distinct species.

Why Is Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Making Headlines?

A group of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins was recently spotted off the coast of Injambakkam. More than 30 to 40 of these dolphins were discovered 500 metres from the coast. Each dolphin was a different shade of pink and grey. Pollution, fishing nets, declining fish stocks, and the degradation of mangrove habitats all pose threats to these species. The dorsal fin of a Humpback dolphin has a hump ahead of it.

They are most commonly found from East Africa to India. In 2014, Australian Humpback dolphins were separated from Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins as a separate species.

Reasons For The Various Colours Of Spotted Humpback Dolphins

Thermoregulation:

Pink is the colour of adult humpback dolphins. The infant humpback dolphins are a dark grey colour. Because of their well-developed blood vessels, they have a pinkish complexion. Dolphins' blood vessels are overdeveloped for thermoregulation. Thermoregulation is the process by which an organism regulates its body temperature. Thermoconforming, on the other hand, refers to temperature adaptation.

This means that after a certain point, the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins' body temperatures become uncontrollable. They keep thermal equilibrium with their surroundings by adjusting their body temperature. They are in danger if the temperature rises or falls above a certain point. Humans adopt the phenomenon of "thermoregulation" and not "thermoconforming".

Conservation

• IUCN: Vulnerable

• CITES: Appendix I

• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Not included. Only Gangetic dolphins and Snubfin dolphins are included in the act.

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