中華白海豚

The Chinese White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis chinensis; Traditional Chinese: 中華白海豚; pinyin: Zhōnghuá bái hǎitún), also called Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, is a species of the Humpback dolphin and is one of eighty cetacean species. The adult dolphin is usually white or grey in colour. The population along the Chinese coast is unique in that they exhibit a pink-coloured skin.[1] This colour of the skin is not a result of colour pigmentation, but is actually from blood vessels used for thermoregulation to prevent overheating during exertion. The adult's body length is about 220 - 250 centimetres and the infant's body length is about 1 metre. The average weight of an adult is around 150 to 230 kilograms.

The Indo-Pacific dolphins can be found throughout Southeast Asia, and they breed from South Africa to Australia. There are two subspecies, with Sumatra, one of the Indonesian islands, as the dividing line between the Chinese and the Western subspecies, Sousa chinensis plumbea.

The two subspecies differ in color and size of their dorsal fin.

The subspecies found in Southeast Asia has pinkish white skin and a larger dorsal fin but lacks the fatty hump of its South African and Australian counterparts.

Color changes in growth period
Birth: Black in color.
Childhood: Grey in color.
Youth age: Pinkish grey with spots.
Adult: Pinkish white and the spots will fade out.

[edit] Life expectancy
A Chinese White Dolphin can live as long as 40 years. The eldest dolphin lives in Hong Kong and is known to be about 33 years old. Scientists have discovered that the age of a dead dolphin can be determined by observing the cross section of its teeth.

Behavior
Chinese White Dolphins swim to the water surface to breathe every twenty to thirty seconds and after that they will dive into deep water again. A calf surfaces from the water twice as much as an adult. This is because calves have a smaller lung capacity than an adult. Adult dolphins can stay underwater for about two to eight minutes but a calf can only stay underwater for one to three minutes. On average, adult dolphins rarely stay under water for more than four minutes.

They sometimes jump out of water and expose their whole body. This behavior, called breaching, is often impressive to human observers. Besides jumping out of water, White Dolphins also come up vertically out of the water, exposing the front half of the body. They have a pair of protruding eyes and they can see clearly in both air and water.


[edit] Reproductive cycle
Chinese White Dolphins are quite sociable creatures and usually live in small groups of three to four. Female white dolphins become mature at ten years old while the males become mature at thirteen years old. The Chinese White Dolphins usually mate from the end of summer to autumn. Infant dolphins are usually born eleven months after the mating. Mature female white dolphins can give birth every three years and the parental care will last until their offspring can find food themselves.


詳情 : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_White_Dolphin

WWF Hong Kong is concerned that oil from a Chinese tanker sank near the mouth of Pearl River on 7 November that drifted into the northern Lantau area in Hong Kong waters would pose threats to the local Chinese White Dolphin.
Oil was reported in the area near the Sha Chau/Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park, the Brothers and around Tung Chung, area frequented by the dolphins. The Marine Department removed and dispersed the oil immediately and WWF Hong Kong is relieved that no dead or harmed dolphin has been reported after the incident.

However, oil spill is potentially harmful to the dolphins and other marine life as well. Therefore, WWF Hong Kong asserts that every measure should be taken to prevent our marine environment from being threatened by oil spill again. For instance, transport and storage of oil should be strictly regulated and monitored to minimise any accident resulting in oil spill. Also, specific emergency guidelines on the safety of marine mammals and protection of their key habitats from oil spill can be incorporated into the existing Government Contingency Plan and into other guidelines set out by private companies using the area - in this connection the Marine Department should be commended for not using chemical agents to treat the crude oil this time. In addition, better cross-border coordination between Hong Kong and Mainland China is essential for efficient functioning of the above. Hopefully, through better preventive measures and rapid response in case of accident, our dolphin can continue to live happily without further such threat.
The Dolphin Research Group (DRG) of the Swire Institute of Marine Science received a report of a 'pink' dolphin in the Hebe Haven/Port Shelter area, Sai Kung. This area was believed to be far outside the dolphin populations usual home range of Lantau Island and the Pearl River Estuary and the team immediately went there to investigate. Indeed a 'pink' dolphin was sighted - a large healthy adult who had originally been identified in the waters off north Lantau Island in 1994. The dolphin remained in the area for some time and has become popular with the local people who live and work on boats in the area. The DRG team will continue to monitor the dolphin's health and behaviour while trying to figure out why the dolphin has made this unusual journey.