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EN
On August 21st, the online community shared many images and short video clips recording the appearance of a special pink dolphin in the sea area near Hon Dau Island at Do Son beach. When people and boats approached, this unique dolphin moved further out to sea.
This is a rare species of dolphin, listed as endangered (EN) in Vietnam's Red Book. Previously, these dolphins could be found in the waters of Van Don (Quang Ninh), Do Son (Hai Phong), and Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), but they have been less frequently seen in recent years. Many fishermen believe that this is an omen of peace and good fortune, heralding a bountiful harvest of shrimp and fish for those who go to sea.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi, representing the Vietnam Association for Nature and Environment Protection, believes that the appearance of pink dolphins partly indicates that the ecosystem of this sea area is recovering with positive signs. According to him, this may be due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to better control of fishing activities and wastewater discharge from numerous rivers flowing into the sea.
Additional information
According to experts, analysis of images and videos shows that the pink dolphin recently spotted at Do Son beach is a Pacific humpback dolphin, scientifically known as Sousa chinensis, belonging to the long-beaked dolphin family.
Dolphins are mostly grayish-white, dark gray, or entirely white due to albinism, so pink dolphins are very rare. This species is currently endangered according to the Red List, at risk of disappearing completely due to environmental pollution and habitat destruction caused by humans.
