Amazon River dolphin

What do botos look like?

Botos look very different to marine dolphins. First of all, they’re pink. Born grey, adult Amazon River dolphins turn pink or pinkish-grey as they mature, with males being both bigger and pinker than females. That’s not the only difference though. With low, ridge-like dorsal fins, long, skinny snouts, plump bodies, chubby cheeks and round, bulbous foreheads, botos have developed a unique look of their own.

Even with their generously-sized heads though, botos have fairly small eyes. This may lead you to think that river dolphins struggle to see, but in fact, their eyesight is actually pretty good. Aided by their unfused neck vertebrae, they can get a good look at their underwater worlds by turning their heads in all directions and checking things out from every angle.

Baby botos are born a bluish-grey colour and they get pinker as they age. Mature males are pinker than females, which could be to do with their penchant for fighting. As wounds heal, they are covered with pink scar tissue eventually replacing their grey skin.

What’s life like for a boto?

Usually found alone, in mother-calf pairs or in small pods of 3 or 4 individuals, botos are rarely found in large groups. While sometimes 20 to 40 botos can be found feeding together in one area, it’s not particularly common and they generally prefer keeping themselves to themselves.

Helping them to hunt and feed, Amazon River dolphins have lithe, manoeuvrable bodies. Dexterous swimmers, they can easily weave their way through submerged trees and shrubs to find their food. Assisted by their big, paddle-shaped flippers that they can circle independently of each other, botos are natural gymnasts, swimming backwards, upside down and pivoting like pros. As you can imagine, this is very helpful when your prey is quick and prone to taking refuge in hard-to-reach places.

Active day and night, botos are quite inquisitive beings. Amazon River dolphins have been known to approach canoes, grabbing hold of fishermen’s paddles with their beaks and making off with their prize. They can also throw sticks and weed, pull grass underwater and play with turtles, snakes and fish.

What do botos eat?

Interestingly, Amazon River dolphins are the only dolphins who have the equivalent of molar teeth, much like we do. They use these teeth to crunch up their food before swallowing. Not particularly fussy eaters, botos will happily tuck into a varied diet of over 40 species of fish, shrimps, crabs and turtles.

Where do botos live?

Despite the understandable connection people often make with dolphins and the open ocean, botos only live in freshwater – often thousands of miles from the sea.. Living in huge rivers, small tributaries, lakes, flooded forests and submerged grasslands, botos can be found in six countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.  These include resident populations throughout the Amazon and Orinoco river systems, as well as in the Araguaia River in Brazil.