WINSTON WEEKLY^[1]

May 17, 2026

Vol. 4, No. 20

PERFECTLY PINK[2]

Amazon river dolphins or “boto” are the largest species of river dolphins. Residing in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins, their grayish color becomes pink as they age. Males are predominantly more pink, sometimes resembling a “flamingo pink” color. Nicknamed the “pink river dolphin,” their massive diet includes river turtles, freshwater crabs, and aquatic frogs. A subspecies, the Bolivian river dolphin, prefers catfish and enjoys “playing catch” with eels.

Like the Florida bottlenose dolphin, their high-frequency sonar clicks serve as echolocation to navigate murky waters and hunt for food. Incredibly agile, they sometimes swim upside down or swim forward with one flipper while paddling backward with the other. Their flexibility allows them to maneuver around roots, rocks, and other obstacles.

Although shy, river dolphins occasionally have friendly interactions with humans. With a brain capacity forty percent larger than humans, they live up to 30 years. Amazon river dolphins can be as long as nine feet and weigh as much as 400 pounds, although the Bolivian subspecies is slightly smaller. Part of Bolivia’s natural heritage, the Bolivian river dolphin faces significant risks due to overfishing, hydroelectric construction, and deforestation.

Over the past 75 years, the river dolphin population has declined by fifty percent, leading the Peruvian Government to adopt a National Action Plan for the Conservation of River Dolphins and the Amazonian Manatee. A non-profit organization founded in 2014 is committed to local efforts to sustain local culture and promote healthy interactions between dolphins and humans.

WEEKLY ACTIVITY

Draft a short story or a poem based on the habits of Amazon river dolphins or make a list of differences between Amazon river dolphins and Florida’s bottlenose dolphins.

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[1] A weekly blog/newsletter by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2]Resources: Amazon River Dolphins, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org; Maryland Zoo, Virtual Filed Talk: Bolivian River Dolphins, YouTube, March 14,2022; D. Pivari, B. Pagliani, L. Lemos, D. Lima, W. Gravena, Monitoring a critical population of the Bolivian river dolphin, Inia boliensis, before and after closing the floodgates of a hydroelectric dam in the Amazon Basin Brazil: A quantitative analysis, Journal for Nature Conservation, Vol. 64, Dec. 2021; 5 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Pink River Dolphin, April 17, 2024, www.aquaexpeditions.com; Amazon River Dolphin Conservation Foundation, www.ardcf.org.