For World Oceans Day (June 8) and Coral Triangle Day (June 9), let’s meet Lampasut! This is the Tagbanua name for the Irrawaddy Dolphin whose English name refers to the Ayeyarwaddy river in Myanmar.
Lampasut can be found in Palawan, and in the Iloilo and Guimaras Straits between Panay and Negros. It is in these areas where they eat and play, places where boats and fishers also frequent for livelihood.
They also share habitat with unique mangroves and other biodiversity at our coastlines, making them another symbol of the health of these areas.
This post is dedicated to the late Ma. Victoria Matillano who worked for the conservation of Irrawaddy dolphins in the Philippines especially in Palawan. May her work inspire more study and action for Lampasut conservation, and the conservation of the habitats we enjoy with them.
