Spoon-billed river dolphin (SciiFii)

The spoon-billed river dolphin (Ajajinias threskia) is a species of toothed whale classified in the family Platanistidae, most closely related to the Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the large lakes, rivers, and wetlands across mainland Europe to help boost biodiversity. The spoon-billed river dolphin has an average length of 2.32 metres (7.6 feet) and an average weight of 185 kilograms (408 lb). Compared with other river dolphins, the spoon-billed river dolphin has a greatly enhanced sense of touch in order to find hidden prey on the riverbed, resulting in a spoonbill-like snout, hence its name. As a carnivore, the spoon-billed river dolphin feeds primarily on crustaceans, mollusks, annelids, and fish, although carrion is sometimes in its diet. The spoon-billed river dolphins are commonly seen singly or in twos, but may also occur in pods that rarely contain more than eight individuals. Pods as large as 37 individuals have been seen in western Europe, but average is three. They are slow swimmers; they commonly travel at speeds of 1.5 to 3.2 kilometres per hour (0.93 to 1.99 mph) but have been recorded to swim at speeds up to 14 to 22 kilometres per hour (8.7 to 13.7 mph). When they surface, the tips of the snout, melon and dorsal fins appear simultaneously, the tail rarely showing before diving. They can also shake their fins, and pull their tail fin and head above the water to observe the environment. They occasionally jump out of the water, sometimes as high as a meter (3.14 feet). They are harder to train than most other species of dolphin. Adult males have been observed carrying objects in their mouths such as branches or other floating vegetation, or balls of hardened clay. The males appear to carry these objects as a socio-sexual display which is part of their mating system. The behavior is "triggered by an unusually large number of adult males and/or adult females in a group, or perhaps it attracts such into the group. Breeding is seasonal, and births occur between November and December. The period of birthing coincides with the flooding season in spring, and this provides an advantage because the females and their offspring remain in flooded areas longer than males. As the water level begins to decrease, the density of food sources in flooded areas increases due to loss of space, providing enough energy for infants to meet the high demands required for growth. Gestation is around 14 months and captive births take 4 to 5 hours. At birth, calves are 80 centimetres (31 inches) long and in captivity have registered a growth of 0.21 metres (0.69 feet) per year. Lactation takes about a year. The interval between births is between 16 and 30 months, and the young dolphins are thought to become independent within two to three years. The relatively long duration of breastfeeding and parenting means that the species has a strong mother-child bond. Most couples observed in their natural environment consist of a female and her calf. This suggests that long periods of parental care contribute to learning and development of the young. The conservation status of the spoon-billed river dolphin is Vulnerable due to some habitat loss and historic poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the spoon-billed river dolphin is a protected species.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii