Irrawaddy dolphins which are threatened with extinction are found thriving in Bangladesh recently. A population of 6000 dolphins has been found by the biologists. This species of dolphins, restricted to the saline water bays of and rivers of southern Asia to northern Australia, were one of the prime worries of the marine mammal experts.

This population was discovered in 2004 and is pretty larger than any other regional groups of dolphins. The population caught the attention during the first systematic survey for marine animals along the coastline and mangrove islands of Bangladesh. The researchers are putting into all efforts to waive off all kind of threats on this population like entanglement in fishing nets, decline in freshwater flows as a result of dam construction and inland diversions of water along the rivers.

The major threat to the existence of dolphins, predicted by the scientists, comes from the global warming. The consequences of global are the rising of sea levels and changing of the river flows due to the thawing of Himalayan glaciers. This entire process would reduce the dolphins, which survives in water with low salinity.

The Wildlife Conservation Society, is working along with the Bangladesh Ministry of Environment and Forests to produce protected areas for the dolphins and for another species named, the Ganges River dolphin, and are thus seeking money for this effort, as told by Howard Rosenbaum, a biologist for “ocean giants” program. This enormous population of Irrawaddy dolphins has shown a ray of hope for the biologists like Dr. Rosenbaum who are working to secure these dolphins.