The+Australian+Snubfin+Dolphin

=**Australian Snubfin dolphins were found in 2005 when some scientists were testing them, and they thought that it was an Irrawaddy dolphin, but then they had realised that it wasn’t an Irrawaddy dolphin and discovered that it was a ne w species, and decided to call it the Snubfin dolphin. It was found up near the warmer waters near the northern coasts of Australia, from Western all the way to Queensland. It **** gets its name from the small stubby dorsal fin on its back. It has a round melon-like head with a rounded forehead, and a crease of skin around its flexible neck. Only the **[|**Beluga whale**]** has a neck like that, which enables it to turn its head. Unlike other dolphins found in Australia, the snubfin dolphin has no beak. There are a range of colours in the snubfin dolphin, from cream and shades of brown and grey. The underside is generally lighter **** in **** colour. The blowhole on the top of its head is not in the centre, but located a little to the left. The snubfin dolphin grows to between 1.5 and 2.7 metres long. The Australian snubfin dolphin is listed as ‘near threatened, data deficient’. This means that not much is known about the species, but what we do know indicates that it may be threatened. There may only be about one thousand of these dolphins in existence. Known threats to its survival include being caught in fishing nets; loss of their food because of overfishing by humans; water pollution and habitat destruction due to building and developments along the coast. Jet skis and boats cause injuries and disrupt their natural behaviour, and the noise affects them. **= =Back to home page:home=

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