New research suggests pink and gray river dolphins remain critically endangered in the Ecuadorian Amazon and may be under greater threat there than in any of the other main South American countries they inhabit—Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Venezuela. The research, comprising two studies, examined the threats facing dolphins and the state of their populations. It reveals about 250 pink dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) and 20 to 25 gray dolphins (Sotalia fluviatilis) remain in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and only 166 in all inhabit the northeastern portion of that region. In part, the low numbers reflect natural factors, experts say. In the Ecuadorian Amazon, river dolphins are found near the Andes foothills at elevations of 180 to 260 meters above sea level. This environment consists of relatively narrow river systems with faster currents than those of the Amazon plain, as well as limited lake systems. And the Ecuadorian Amazon accounts for... [Log in to read more]