SWIM LIKE A DOLPHIN
THE DOLPHIN SWIM
We did it!
After four days of swimming relays and visits to nearby communities, the Mekong Dolphin Swim team safely finished their 120 km journey down Cambodia’s Irrawaddy river dolphin habitat on Thursday, 20 March 2025.
The inspiring global campaign successfully raised over US$20,000 for dolphin conservation efforts, which will support WWF-Cambodia’s River Guard Programme, critical research into bycatch mitigation and more. The group of global conservationists and their support team also received overwhelming local support for their efforts from government representatives, NGO partners and locals. River island communities in Koh P’dao and Koh Prumacharey pledged to remove gillnets after meeting the swimmers, and provincial governors announced further legal protections of dolphin habitat.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Mekong Dolphin Swim and its rippling impact on conservation via this website and our social media channels.
What is the Dolphin Swim?
The Dolphin Swim event was an extraordinary relay challenge that took place from the 17th to the 20th, where a team of swimmers navigated down the Mekong River, within the habitat of Cambodia’s critically endangered Irrawaddy river dolphins. Throughout the journey, the support team documented dolphin sightings and diligently removed litter and old fishing nets that posed threats to this vulnerable population.
The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population in the Mekong River is perilously close to extinction, with fewer than 100 individuals remaining. Their survival is gravely threatened by fisheries bycatch and entanglement. Urgent action is imperative to implement effective bycatch reduction strategies to safeguard these dolphins before it's too late.
The Dolphin Swim Route
The dedicated team of swimmers — including conservationists and scientists from around the world — successfully took on the treacherous currents of the Mekong River, covering 120 km from Stung Treng to Kratie at the heart of the Mekong dolphins' shrinking habitat. With only a boat and kayaks for support, this daring expedition showcased both the urgency of the mission and the swimmers’ unwavering commitment to protecting these endangered dolphins.
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The Challenges
Environmental Hazards:
The Mekong River, with its murky, unpredictable waters and powerful currents, proved a challenging and physically demanding environment for the swimmers throughout the event.
Wildlife Interaction:
During the swim, the team navigated carefully to avoid disturbing the habitats of animals living in the river. They also faced occasional encounters with wildlife, including fish and potentially aggressive species, which added to the risks of the expedition.
Distance and Endurance:
Covering 120 km required exceptional endurance and months of training. The long hours in the water pushed the swimmers to their limits, with fatigue becoming real concerns, especially under difficult conditions.
Plastic Pollution:
Like the Irrawaddy dolphins they were swimming to protect, the team had to contend with the increasing problem of plastic pollution in the Mekong, highlighting the urgent need for action to safeguard the river’s ecosystem.
4
DAYS
120
KM
17.03.2025–20.03.2025
"Asa river dolphin researcher in Cambodia, I’ve always felt passionate about protecting these inspiring animals. I spend long days on the Mekong River studying their behaviour and mitigating threats to their well-being.
Whenever I see a newborn calf in the water, I envision a future where they can safely grow up, and human communities value and protect them as important parts of our world. I’d like to call people to join me in this vision and help protect this precious creature.”
Sam Un Eam,
Head of the Mekong Flooded Forest Landscape at WWF-Cambodia
Photo Credit © WWF-Belgium / Catherine Renard