The largest of the world’s five freshwater dolphin species. It relies on echolocation to find prey in the muddy rivers that it inhabits.

Subspecies
None.

Life span
Approximately 30 years.

Statistics
Body length 1.8-2.5m, Weight: 85-150kg.

Physical description
Amazon river dolphins are sometimes a pale blue colour, sometimes pink and frequently albino. They have a hump and ridge along their back rather than a dorsal fin. Amazon river dolphins have a long beak.

Distribution
Amazon river dolphins inhabit the Amazon and Orinoco river systems.

Habitat
They are most often found in brown, slow-moving waters, but during the flood season they enter flooded grasslands and forests.

Diet
They feed on fish and crustaceans.

Behaviour
These dolphins live singly or in pairs, but groups of up to 30 gather to feed. They use their triangular pectoral fins to swim slowly over the river bed searching for crabs, fish and turtles with their echolocation. There are reports that Amazon river dolphins can stun prey with bursts of sound from the "melon" organ in their bulging forehead.

Reproduction
Amazon river dolphins breed in late October to early November. Young are born between May and July when the water is at its highest and much of the lowland forest is flooded.

Conservation status
Amazon river dolphins are classified as Vulnerable by the 2000 IUCN Red List.

Notes
Little is known about river dolphins.