The pink dolphin, also known as the Amazon River Dolphin or “boto,” is one of the five species of freshwater dolphins.
Measuring three meters in length and weighing 125 kg, it remains active twenty-four hours a day, resting for short periods. One particular characteristic of this species is its greater head mobility compared to other dolphins, which provides the necessary flexibility to maneuver through the numerous obstacles of the flooded jungle.
The pink color of its skin only appears in adult individuals, while young ones have a dark gray back and a slightly lighter belly.
A local legend says that it sometimes transforms into a human and emerges from the water in search of maidens to marry. The reality is somewhat harsher; it is currently threatened by overfishing of its prey (fish up to 30 cm in size, as well as some shrimp and crayfish), river pollution, and intense river traffic in its habitat.
Fortunately, this situation is being reversed thanks to the active intervention of ecological societies dedicated to its protection. Today, thousands of people worldwide are interested in protecting this rare species as well as the Amazon Basin.
“You cannot defend what you do not love, and you cannot love what you do not know.”