In a statement released here on Friday, Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said that the population of the Mahakam dolphin, a freshwater mammal endemic to Indonesia, has dropped to approximately 62 individuals.
“This figure is not just a statistic. It is a strong indicator of ecosystem degradation that demands urgent attention and action,” he added.
He said that threats to the Mahakam dolphin reflect broader systemic pressures on the river’s ecosystem.
The decline in the population of the species is a signal that the sustainability of the Mahakam River, an important life source for thousands of species and local communities, is now at a critical point.
The minister made the statement after a visit to the Mahakam Lake area, the primary and increasingly fragmented habitat of the dolphin, in Kutai Kartanegara district, East Kalimantan, on Thursday.
“Protecting the Mahakam dolphin goes beyond the survival of a single species. It is a vital effort to preserve the ecological balance of the Mahakam River, which supports biodiversity and the livelihoods of local communities,” he said.
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Conservation of the Mahakam dolphin has been included in the national priority agenda of the Ministry of Environment to protect Indonesia’s biodiversity.
A collaborative and cross-sectoral approach involving ministries and agencies, local governments, academics, indigenous communities, and civil society organizations is also important for realizing concrete efforts.
The Mahakam dolphin is a rare sub-population of the Irrawaddy dolphin and is found only in the Mahakam River.
Known for its grey, beakless appearance and complex social behavior, the species symbolizes the region’s rich biodiversity and the cultural identity of the East Kalimantan communities.
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Translator: Prisca, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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