Boto: Iniidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Saved By Bad Luck, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, BOTOS AND PEOPLE
Botos are found in the Amazon and Orinoco River systems in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. They require fresh water and do not live in estuaries (EST-yoo-air-eez) where rivers meet the ocean.
Botos are not hunted, but are sometimes intentionally killed to prevent them from destroying fishing gear. Botos are associated in folklore with misfortune and bad luck.
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Botos, also called Amazon river dolphins or pink river dolphins, live only in fresh water rivers in South America. They are the largest and most abundant of the river dolphins. Adult botos range in length from 6.6 to 8.5 feet (2 to 2.5 meters) and in weight from about 185 to 400 pounds (85 to 180 kilograms). Males are larger than females. Young animals are usually dark gray. As they mature, their …
Botos eat a broad range of food, including up to fifty different species of fish. Most of the fish they eat are from 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) long, although they are able to eat fish as long as 31 inches (80 centimeters). During the rainy season, the forests flood, fish swim into the flooded areas to eat seeds and fruits, and botos follow the fish. They are able to move easily in this…
Botos usually swim alone or occasionally with one or two other botos. They communicate with each other using a series of "clicks" that are above the range of human hearing. These communication sounds are not well understood. Botos kept in captivity have been aggressive toward each other, suggesting that in the wild they need to keep a certain distance between themselves and other bot…
Although the population of botos in the wild is not known, it is estimated to be in the tens of thousands. Botos are considered Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction. The biggest threat comes from human development. In 2000, there were ten dams on the Amazon River that fragmented, or separated, groups of botos and interfered with their free movement. More dams are planned on the rivers that…
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