Irrawaddy dolphins: about a hundred in the Mekong, and a population on the rise

Freshwater dolphins in the Mekong

The Irrawaddy dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris, lives along the coasts of Southeast Asia and in a few large rivers. The Mekong's dolphins form a separate population, listed as critically endangered by the IUCN^[3]. They now use only a stretch of about 180 kilometers (110 miles), between Kratie in Cambodia and the foot of the Khone Falls, just short of the Lao border^[3]. They live in the river's deep pools.

How many dolphins are left in the Mekong?

According to Cambodia's official count, the population reached 118 dolphins on April 27, 2026, with six births since the start of the year and no deaths in sixteen months^[1]. It stood at 112 in December 2025^[2]. This count, kept by the Fisheries Administration and WWF, adds observed births and removes recorded deaths^[1].

Scientific estimates, based on photo-identification of dorsal fins, give lower figures: 127 dolphins in 2005, then 89 in 2020, within a range of 78 to 102^[3]. That is the latest published estimate we found. The two series can't be compared directly, but both show a very small population.

Why dolphins disappeared from Laos

A small group lived in a pool straddling the Laos–Cambodia border, just below the Khone Falls. It dropped from eight dolphins in 2007 to a single one in 2021^[3]. That last dolphin died in mid-February 2022, caught in illegal fishing gear. The species has since been considered functionally extinct in Laos^[4].

Nets and dams: what threatens the Mekong's dolphins

Gillnets are the leading cause of death among adults: dolphins get entangled and drown^[3]. Dams and habitat loss also weigh on a population that depends on a handful of deep pools^[3].

Cambodia is expanding the areas where fishing is regulated to protect them: 21,966 hectares were registered in Kratie in 2025, then 10,873 hectares permanently in Stung Treng province on May 11, 2026^[5].

Where to see the Mekong's dolphins

The most visited spot is Kampi, a little north of Kratie, where you watch the dolphins from a small boat without getting too close. Boats cost about $10 per person for one or two adults and $8 each for three or more, for an hour from November to May and an hour and a half from June to October^[6]. They run all day; early morning or late afternoon is best^[7]. The dry season, December to May, is the most rewarding: low water gathers the dolphins in the deep pools^[7].

Pierre-Marie Coupry

Editor-in-chief of the French travel site Bon Plan Voyage, where he has published since 2012. He checks every practical detail against official sources and proofreads everything before it goes live.

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