Pink dolphin or or or
The most interesting of all the mammals of the Amazon River is the pink dolphin (Amazonian inia or bouto). There are many legends about this amazing animal. But one of the most popular is the story of the transformation of dolphins into handsome men seducing local girls. This dolphin is stunningly beautiful and absolutely pink, from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail! Albinism is a genetic trait, but it is not yet clear where the animal might have inherited it.
The weight of a newborn is 7 kg, and an adult dolphin weighs from 85 to 160 kg. The baby is born about 80 cm long and grows up to 2.5 m. Dolphins feed on fish and crabs.
Inias live alone or in small flocks. They are active both day and night.
When exhaling, dolphins release small fountains. They swim at a speed of 3-4 km/h, and can accelerate to a maximum speed of 18.5 km/h. Before breathing stops or slows down. The dolphin feeds on fish, which it grabs with its front teeth, transferring to its back, stronger teeth, and the head of the fish is swallowed first. If the dolphin's prey becomes big fish, then it is first torn into pieces.
Inias can produce screams, squeals, threat signals, barking, whimpering, and echolocation clicking. But whistling is not in their vocabulary.
Another one distinctive feature a river dolphin has a long, leathery snout, similar to a beak or sting. They are very convenient for digging out crustaceans from the bottom silt and catching fish. The amazing structure of the cervical vertebrae, which do not fuse with each other, gives them the ability to turn their head at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the body! Dolphins search for prey using echolocation, because muddy water vision is of little use, and disoriented fish in such conditions become easy prey.
In the wild, these dolphins are very curious and playful, but very aggressive, so it is very rare to see this amazing creature in aquariums.
Unfortunately, even the mystical pink dolphin cannot protect itself from numerous hunters who destroy animals for money. The genitals of these dolphins are considered an aphrodisiac, and the fight to preserve this species continues constantly.
Amazonian dolphin (lat. Inia geoffrensis) belongs to the family Iniidae from the suborder Toothed whales (Odontoceti). It is also called inia. Among the Indians of the Amazon, there is a widespread belief that tipsy white tourists who decide to swim in local rivers in a drunken state regularly turn into it.
Having been in the skin of an animal for a long time, they sometimes take on human form again and then behave more culturally.
In the vicinity of the Rio Negro River, old-timers claim that they have witnessed how cunning dolphins sneak into Indian settlements on full moon nights in the guise of representative lords in white suits and hats, and return back to the river in the morning. Because of such nightly promenades, young dark-skinned women are increasingly giving birth to light-skinned babies.
This was even filmed in Brazil in 1987 Feature Film Ele, o boto (He, Amazonian dolphin), which aroused great interest among sentimental Brazilians. In him main character flatly refused to recognize him as his son aquatic mammal and even tried to kill him. Hot brunettes For a long time they were indignant at his unworthy behavior.
Spreading
There are 2 known subspecies that live in the northern part South America. Subspecies I.g. geofrensis is found in the Amazon and its tributaries, and I.g. humboldtiana is distributed in the Orinoco and its basin. Since 1994, previously considered as subspecies I.g. boliviensis is considered a separate species, separated from their fellows about 2.8 million years ago.
The Amazon dolphin is observed in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. total area The area it occupies is approximately 7 million square kilometers.
During periods of heavy rainfall and subsequent floods, mammals are able to change their place of residence and migrate to areas richer in food, including flooded plains. Seasonal migrations depend on the water level in reservoirs. During drought, animals gather in the beds of deep rivers.
Behavior
Representatives of this species usually live in pairs or alone, sometimes in groups of up to 4 individuals. Most often it can be observed in natural conditions a female with her cub. During high-water floods, they prefer to hunt individually, and during periods of drought they are able to unite for joint hunting.
Unlike Amazonian dolphins, with less socialization, they have a calmer and more balanced character. As a rule, they do not show aggression towards their fellow tribesmen.
These animals are not very playful and do not like jumping into the air, but they are very curious and study with interest any objects that are unusual for them. They willingly grab fishermen's oars and rub their bodies against fishing boats, they can catch thrown sticks, and sometimes they entertain themselves with turtles like balls. They are amenable to training much worse than other related species.
Inia is a relatively slow swimmer. Its normal speed is 1.5-3 km/h, but if necessary it can swim at a speed of 14-22 km/h.
Then the tip of its snout, part of the head and the dorsal fin appear above the surface. To monitor environment dolphins put their heads above the water; young animals, unlike adults, often jump up to 1 m above the water surface. They breathe every 30-110 seconds.
Nutrition
The Indian's daily diet is very varied. It includes about 43 various fish from 19 families. The length of prey ranges from 5 to 80 cm, but the predominant prey is about 20 cm. The most common prey are cichlids, tetras and. The structure of the teeth allows them to bite through the shells of crustaceans and turtles.
Animals feed around the clock, but their peak activity is observed in the early morning and afternoon.
For more effective hunting, they are often located near waterfalls and river mouths, where it is much easier to catch fish. When the opportunity arises, small fish (Sotalia fluvialis) and (Pteronura brasiliensis) become their prey.
In captivity, Inia geoffrensis have been repeatedly observed sharing food among themselves. Whether they do this in natural habitats is unknown. Their natural enemies are black caimans (Melanosuchus niger), common sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), jaguars (Panthera onca) and (Eunectes murinus).
Reproduction
Sexual maturity in females occurs at the age of 6-7 years, when they grow to 175-180 cm. Males become sexually mature 2-3 years later, reaching a body length of more than 2 m. Mating season takes place during the dry season, when rivers become shallow, and lasts about a month. Duration of mating is 3-4 hours.
Pregnancy lasts approximately 315 days, and childbirth lasts 4-5 hours. Cubs are born during floods in May or June. Newborns weigh about 8 kg and feed on mother's milk for a year. Their body length is about 80 cm. The interval between pregnancies is 2-3 years.
The bond between a mother and her child is very strong. Usually he leaves her and moves on to independent existence only after the appearance of the next offspring.
Description
The length of adult individuals is 2-2.5 m, weight 100-150 kg. Males are larger than females and some can weigh up to 207 kg. The weight of females does not exceed 154 kg.
Skin color changes with age. In young animals it is dark gray, but gradually changes to silver and pinkish. Males are painted in brighter colors. In adults, the back is dark, dark pink or even brown. Color is also affected by water temperature and geographic location.
The structure of the cervical vertebrae allows you to turn your head in different directions by 90°. Large pectoral fins remind isosceles triangles. Thanks to the long humerus bones, they have a high degree of mobility and allow the animal to easily maneuver in the thick of aquatic vegetation. The dorsal fin is relatively poorly developed, and the caudal fin is wide and triangular in shape.
The eyes are small, but provide good vision in water and air environment. There is a characteristic thickening on the head used for echolocation. The narrow, elongated muzzle ends with a beak slightly curved downwards. The front teeth are sharp and conical, while the back teeth are flat and blunt. The mouth can have from 88 to 144 teeth.
Lifespan of an Amazonian dolphin wildlife not reliably known, presumably 20-30 years. In captivity they usually do not live longer than 3 years. The exception was the male Apure, who was caught in 1975 in the waters of the Orinoco River and then lived in the Duisburg Zoo in Germany. He died of old age on October 9, 2006, at the age of almost 50, according to zoologists.
Amazonian dolphins are the most major representatives river dolphins. They grow up to 3 meters in length and their weight can reach 200 kilograms. This freshwater whale also never leaves rivers and rarely moves to new places. In murky water, inia easily navigates using echolocation, as well as excellent hearing and touch.
There are 3 subspecies of Indians, each of which has its own habitat. But they are all common in the Amazon River basin and adjacent to it river system(rivers and reservoirs of Brazil, Bolivia, Northern Peru, Venezuela, etc.)
Amazonian dolphins differ from their marine relatives in their speed of movement and the shape of their faces. They swim slowly but maneuverably. Their normal speed is about 3 km/h, and their maximum speed can reach 14-22 km/h.
Inii are not too fast, but very maneuverable These dolphins have a narrow and elongated snout, which ends in a slightly curved beak with sparse short bristles. Each jaw is equipped with 52-66 sharp teeth. The body is plump, thinning towards the tail. The length of adult males does not exceed 3 meters. Females are smaller than males.
Narrow and elongated muzzle 
Sharp teeth 
Dense body tapering towards the tail The color of frost changes with age. Juveniles are greyish in color with a white belly. As they mature, they begin to take on a pinkish or pale blue hue.
Grayish color 
Gray-pink color River dolphins have well-developed vision, but in turbid water it is of little use. Therefore, they rely on hearing, touch and echolocation to hunt. Amazonian dolphins are very voracious. They can eat up to 12 kilograms of fish per day. Sometimes inias engage in “digging,” looking for buried fish or crabs in the mud. They are not averse to feasting on our loved ones. During the hunt, these dolphins can team up with giant otters or toucan dolphins. They work together to drive schools of fish into a trap and attack them.
Sometimes they make a living by “stealing”, approaching fishing nets and eating the caught fish. As a result, the fishermen disliked them. At one time, people caught and destroyed these dolphins because they spoiled nets and reduced the catch. But since 1988, this practice has been prohibited.
The breeding season for Amazonian dolphins occurs during the rainy season - in April-May. And after 11 months, a baby is born, weighing about 7 kilograms and reaching 75-80 centimeters in length. At this time (May-July) rivers overflow their banks and flood the plains. Females with cubs prefer to stay in these very places, since there is more food there, few predators, and there is less aggression from males. The lactation period (milk feeding) lasts up to a year. The cub can stay with its mother for up to 3 years.
Most often, inias live alone or in pairs (female with cub). Small groups are very rare, except during the breeding season.
These dolphins are very curious and love to play, but they are difficult to train. They also take care of their wounded relatives.
Amazonian dolphins are difficult to train 
Inias play a significant role in the Amazon ecosystem. They are food for caimans, blunt-nosed sharks, jaguars, anacondas. In turn, river dolphins regulate the numbers of other fish species.
Dolphins amaze us with their intelligence and attract us with inexplicable magnetism. Let's learn a little more about Amazonian dolphins.
Adult Amazonian dolphins (inii) sometimes reach 2.5 m in length, and their body weight can reach up to 207 kg. Only males can boast of such significant dimensions; females, in turn, are much more graceful. You can determine the age of an individual by its color: young dolphins are straw-gray, while a pink or light blue tint appears in older age.
The Indian's beak is slightly curved and bristly. The structure of the visual organ gives reason to believe that the ini's eye is better adapted to terrestrial vision. The head of this species has the ability to rotate 90°. Amazonian dolphins are incredibly agile thanks to special structure pectoral fins.
Dolphins occupy the entire Amazon River basin. Mammals can be found even in small rivers and lakes. They are assigned permanent place residence. The only exception is seasonal migration.
All attempts to tame Amazonian dolphins have been successful; individuals are willing to make contact. Unfortunately, in captivity, ini live up to a maximum of 3 years. Individuals die before reaching sexual maturity, which makes it impossible for them to reproduce.
It is unlikely that you will be able to meet a pink dolphin in the aquarium. It is not possible to train them; moreover, some individuals show aggression after a long stay in captivity.
The diet of ini is varied. One individual needs at least 9-12 kg of fish per day. Preference is given to croakers, cichlids, characins and piranhas. Strong teeth easily cope with the shell of the Amazon river turtles and crabs. Meal times are often between 6-9 am and 3-4 pm. Dolphins hunt on the shore, at river mouths, near waterfalls, at the confluence of two rivers, and in muddy waters.
There are frequent cases of dolphins stealing fish from fishing nets. Underwater hunting is carried out due to good hearing, touch and echolocation.
Inias rarely gather in groups. They can often be found singly or in pairs. Groups consist of no more than 6 individuals. Large flocks They gather only in places where food accumulates and during the breeding season. Activity occurs around the clock. The species is characterized aggressive behavior, as evidenced by the large number of injuries on the body. Fights between dolphins often result in death.
Black caimans, sharks, jaguars and anacondas are dangerous to the pink dolphin, which serves as food for these animals. Man is not dangerous to the Indians, except for fishermen who are angry because of fish nets torn by dolphins.
There is not enough information about reproduction. There is speculation about polygamy in pink dolphins. Males compete for the female through fierce battles. The duration of pregnancy is 11 months. Cubs are born in May-June.
Too close proximity to people led to the practical extinction of the species. The reason for this was water pollution, lack of food, hydroelectric dams, and fishing nets.
In countries Latin America It is illegal to capture Amazonian dolphins.
Buoto, or inii... Are these names familiar to you? Surely not. This is what pink dolphins are called in their habitats. Are you surprised that such animals exist? Then let's take a closer look at the features of their life.
Pink dolphins - a mystery of nature
These unusual creatures They are primarily striking due to the color of the skin. Juveniles are born light gray. As they mature, they acquire a pink or, less commonly, blue tint. It can be assumed that with such exotic features they are actively used for training. But this is not true at all. The fact is that representatives of this species are quite aggressive even towards each other and are difficult to train.
Pay attention to what pink dolphins look like (see photo in the article). By nature they are albinos, but in body shape and size they are no different from ordinary representatives of toothed whales. For scientists they still remain a mystery. Therefore, only legends explain their origin so far. One of them says that pink dolphins at night turn into beautiful young men who seduce girls. There is also a belief that they are inhabited by the souls of drowned people.
Origin
Despite all the mysteries, taxonomists have determined the position of these amazing creatures in system organic world. River pink dolphins are aquatic, belonging to the suborder Toothed whales.
Features of the external structure
The appearance that pink dolphins have (the photos clearly demonstrate it) is typical for their representatives. The body length usually does not exceed 2.5 m, and the weight is about 200 kg. Characteristic color Only adult individuals have bodies. usually darker than river inhabitants.
Pink dolphins are characterized by rather unusual sexual demorphism. The fact is that males are larger than females, which is not typical for most animals.
The body of dolphins is elongated, becoming thinner towards the tail. It ends with a beak, which is slightly curved down and covered with bristles. The number of teeth is about 120. They are differentiated and perform the functions of capturing, holding and chewing food. The cornea of small eyes is yellow in color. This device provides protection from bright light. The head of pink dolphins is movable and can be rotated 90 degrees. The single caudal and paired pelvic fins act as a rudder. But the dorsal one is missing. It is replaced by a small gentle hump.
Pink dolphins: where they live and what they eat
The habitat of these species is the basins and Orinoco. Here they live in tributaries and small channels, estuaries, tops and lower reaches of waterfalls and rapids.
Pink river dolphin does not occur in salt waters, which are a limiting factor in its habitat. Their diet consists of fish, sometimes turtles and crabs. Pink dolphins are able to eat about 10 kg of food per day. They are active, regardless of the time of day, and are even able to penetrate fishing nets for prey or swim behind boats in search of it.
These amazing organisms are serious predators. They can even drive schools of fish together with otters, with whom they are neighbors in their range.
To successfully hunt, this species of dolphin uses not only the senses of touch and hearing. Underwater, their ability to echolocation helps them very well. The essence of this phenomenon is to recognize the position of an object by the period of time during which the reflected wave returns.
Lifestyle
Pink dolphins most often lead Their movements are usually associated with seasonal change water level. When rivers become shallow, they move closer to the riverbeds. During floods, pink dolphins prefer small channels. There are known cases of their migration from one river to another along flooded areas of land.
Individuals usually live alone or in pairs - mother and cub. They are often aggressive towards each other. But in places with big amount food or during the breeding season, clusters of them can be found.
It has been proven that pink dolphins can communicate with each other using clicks, squeals, loud cries and whimpers.
Meaning in nature
Representatives of this species do not have any special commercial value. In ancient times, their fat was used to fill lamps and also as medicinal product from attacks of asthma and rheumatism. Amulets for rituals are made from individual parts of the body.
But for fishermen, the presence of ini is a good sign. It means the presence large quantity fish. In addition, pink dolphins drive away dangerous piranhas, making many places in rivers safer.
Due to the fact that pink dolphins often tear fishing nets and eat the intended catch, they have long been subject to destruction. Now these actions are prohibited, and many species are listed in the Red Book.
Pink dolphins are amazing representatives of the animal world, many of whose life secrets have yet to be discovered by humanity.
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