My Geography 899

Mekong (Irrawaddy) Dolphins

Questions

"How to create the conservation planning for Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong River, Cambodia?"

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There are two main questions needed to be addressed. Two of the parallel knowledge, scientific and traditional knowledge, is needed to be studied.   

1.Why do we have to conserve the Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong River? Save the dolphin is saving the whole system, it is nearly extinct, 

2.How can we save them? = Participatory Conservation Planning 

To create this plan there are many information needed to be collected and analyzed. 

  2.1 Who are stakeholders? (who are they? what they do? how they involve? what are their cultures? any cooperation or conflict? Is Laos cooperation needed?)

     a. Government agencies: Fisheries Department, Forestry Department, Tourism Department, Military, 

     b. NGOs (local/international): WDCS, WCS, Oxfam USA, WWF, 

     c. International agencies: MRC, ADB, UNTAC

     d. Local people/groups/organizations: 

     e. Academics: 

  2.2 What are threats? (direct/indirect threats) bombing fishing, gillnets, dams, food supply, logging, tourism, 

  2.3 Socio-economic in the AREA

  2.4 What kinds of tool to use? 

  2.5 Local knowledge and culture about the dolphins? for example: fishing ceremony, believe about the fish, river spirit, Pak Mum case might be a good example. 

  2.6 How can locals participate?

  2.7 Alternative economic activities?

 

 Other Interesting Questions 

  Ecological Question

  1. Can dolphins get pass Leepee waterfall? Any dolphin upstream? How can Giant catfish can get pass the Khone fall but not the dolphins which are smaller? 
  2. Why do they live where they live? 
  3. The current status of the dolphins?
  4. Relationship between the Mekong dolphins and the oceanic dolphins?  
  5. Any migration from the oceanic Irrawaddy dolphin?

  Conservation Question

  1. Relationship and significance to local socio-economic? = strategies to save them
  2. Explosive fishing: why do they use, do they concern about safety and conservation? 
  3. Why " The Loa Community Fisheries and Dolphin Protection Project" stop?
  4. How to save the dolphins?
  5. Who are the stakeholders? 
  6. The relationship with the locals?
  7. Local knowledge about the dolphins
  8. What do locals, stakeholders and public think about saving the dolphins? 
  9. What would be the potential impacts of dam construction in the Mekong River and its tributaries? 
  10. The impacts of the dams in the upper Mekong, China, to the dolphin?
  11. How to rise awareness to the public?
  12. What is the significance of the dolphins to the Mekong ecosystem, local communities?
  13. How important are the areas where they live?