XINHUA – Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra called for concerted efforts to protect and preserve critically endangered Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphins. “We urge citizens and local authorities to join in protecting and preserving these endangered dolphins along the Mekong River in order to preserve the rich biodiversity of the Mekong River,” he said. Pheaktra said local communities would have greatly benefited from conservation because dolphins had been a key attraction for both domestic and international tourists. “Tourists have come to visit these freshwater mammals every day, and their visits have generated jobs and income for local people,” he said. The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphins have been listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species since 2004. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries estimated that as of 2024, there were 105 Irrawaddy dolphins living along a 180-kilometre main channel of the Mekong River in northeast Stung Treng and Kratie provinces.