October 24 marks International Freshwater Dolphin Day. 

The observance is not designated by the United Nations. It was proposed at a workshop on establishing protected areas for freshwater cetaceans, held in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, in October 2009, according to the IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group. 

The day aims to raise awareness of freshwater dolphins and their habitats, including the Ganges river dolphin, Indus river dolphin, Amazon river dolphin and the freshwater Yangtze finless porpoise.

Freshwater cetaceans across the globe are under pressure from habitat degradation, fisheries bycatch and other human activities. 

In China, the Yangtze finless porpoise has recorded a population rebound.

A 2025 dedicated survey counted 1,426 individuals, an increase of 177 from the 2022 survey, officials announced at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on the mid-term assessment of the Yangtze fishing ban on January 30, 2026.

The recovery is linked to the decade-long fishing ban on key Yangtze waterways launched in 2021, alongside protected-area expansion and targeted rescue programs, as stated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs at the briefing.

This progress contrasts with the fragile status of other river dolphin populations in South and Southeast Asia. The Ganges river dolphin, found in India and Bangladesh, is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Its main threats include dams and barrages that fragment river habitats, water extraction, industrial and agricultural pollution, and accidental entanglement in fishing nets, per IUCN and WWF assessments.

Freshwater subpopulations of the Irrawaddy dolphin in Indonesia's Mahakam River and Myanmar's Ayeyarwady River are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group.

These small, isolated groups are highly vulnerable to gillnet bycatch, vessel strikes and habitat loss.

Local authorities and conservation groups have set up protected zones and rolled out fishing monitoring rules, yet persistent risks slow population recovery.

WWF conservation experts note that river dolphins serve as key biological indicators of river ecosystem health.

While the Yangtze case shows that targeted regulation can reverse declines, many transboundary river systems still lack coordinated cross-border action to safeguard remaining freshwater dolphin habitats in Asia and South America.