Irrawaddy freshwater dolphin officially extinct in Laos

The last freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin from Laos got entangled in a fishing net and was found dead on February 15 on a riverbank in Stung Treng province, Cambodia, bordering Laos.

Irrawaddy dolphins swim in the Mekong River in Kratie province, Cambodia on February 20, 2014.

The freshwater dolphin Irrawaddy (Minh Hai dugongs) became extinct in Laos after the last fish living in the Mekong River, bordering northeastern Cambodia and Laos, died due to entanglement in fishing nets.

The dolphin was found dead on February 15 on a riverbank in Stung Treng province, Cambodia, bordering Laos.

The population of freshwater dolphins living in the Cheuteal area bordering southern Laos and northern Cambodia has declined over the years.

In 2016, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) declared the fish functionally extinct after it was found that there were too few potential breeding pairs to sustain the population.

The Spotted Irrawaddy Dolphin, known as 'Pa Kha' in Lao language, was once an attraction that drew many visitors to Southern Laos.