Killed in its own home

that were once found in water bodies across Southeast Asia are on the brink of extinction in the very river they are named after, the Irrawaddy in Myanmar. Only 62 dolphins are thought to be left in Myanmar.

Officials blame river pollution due to mining and run-off from agricultural fertilisers for dolphin deaths. But Myanmar fisherfolk say the greatest danger comes from rogue fishing gangs. Initially, they used small batteries attached to wire wound around bamboo poles, to shock fish within a close radius. Now they use car batteries, high-voltage transformers and trawling nets to bolster their catch. The gangs are a law unto themselves and people in the region fear them.

Media reports say if the Irrawaddy dolphin becomes extinct, people living around the river could klose their futurey. With fish stocks plummeting, there were hopes that eco-tourism would bolster their incomes.