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Nature

Pink Dolphin

What is pink dolphin?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Scientific name Inia geoffrensis[4]
Common names pink dolphin; boto; bufeo; tonina[4]
Group toothed whale[2]
Habitat Amazon and Orinoco river basins[5]
Largest freshwater dolphin yes[4]
Status vulnerable[5]

A **pink dolphin** usually means the **Amazon river dolphin** (*Inia geoffrensis*), a freshwater toothed whale also called the **boto** or **pink river dolphin** [4]. It lives in the **Amazon** and **Orinoco** river basins in South America [5].

Context

The pink dolphin is the largest freshwater dolphin in the world [4]. Adult males can reach up to 2.7 metres and about 180 kg [5]. They are born gray and turn pink as they age [1]. The name is not unique: it may refer to the Amazon river dolphin or, in some sources, the Chinese river dolphin [3]. Conservation status depends on the source's classification system and year; one source gives vulnerable and another says endangered [5]. Pink river dolphins were granted internationally protected status in 2018 [5].

Documented claims

  • The name "pink dolphin" generally refers to the Amazon river dolphin, but it can also refer to the Chinese river dolphin in some sources. [3]
  • Pink river dolphins were granted internationally protected status in 2018. [5]
  • Adult males can reach up to 2.7 metres and about 180 kg. [5]
  • They are born gray and turn pink as they age. [1]

Questions and answers

How rare is a pink dolphin?

Pink dolphins are considered vulnerable, meaning they face a high risk of extinction in the wild [5].

Does the pink dolphin still exist?

Yes, the Amazon river dolphin still exists and lives in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins [5].

How many pink dolphins are left on Earth?

The exact number is not specified in available sources.

Is pink dolphin in India?

The Amazon river dolphin is not found in India; it lives in South America's Amazon and Orinoco basins [5].

Sources

  1. 5 Amazing Facts about the Amazon Pink River Dolphin — aquaexpeditions.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Pink dolphins: Interesting facts about the rare species — timesofindia.indiatimes.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Pink Dolphin | Whale Facts — whalefacts.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Pink River Dolphin - WWF Factsheet — wwf.panda.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  5. The Amazon river dolphin | BBC Science Focus Magazine — sciencefocus.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature