Our rarely seen and little known dolphin species need some care

Rare sight: The Irrawaddy dolphin has a bulbous, rounded head and lacks a rostrum (or snout). Photos: MareCet

A stream of sea traffic makes the sea channel off Northport, Port Klang, a busy shipping route. Each day, huge ships, tankers, barges and tugboats ply this narrow sea passage. The water is murky and often, topped with an oily sheen and patches of flotsam.

It is not exactly a place where one would expect to see wildlife. So it certainly was a treat for marine mammal scientist Dr Louisa Ponnampalam when she spotted the uncommon Irrawaddy dolphins there in February. And it was not just one or two animals, but a group of 12 or more, with at least one calf.