Cambodia’s population of critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins has increased to an estimated 118 individuals since the confirmed birth of six calves this year. They were born along a 120-kilometer (75-mile) stretch of the river in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces, in the country’s northeast. Conservation officials say the births are a strong sign that the…

- Irrawaddy dolphins, the Mekong River’s sole cetaceans, are viewed as sacred animals by Mekong communities, and are also an important source of tourism revenue.- The species’ population has dropped steeply since the 1990s, due to hunting, entanglement in fishing gear and habitat degradation.- The Anlong Chheu Teal pool, along the Laos-Cambodia border stands as a cautionary tale: The pool’s…