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For many, Borneo holidays may well include a trip to an orangutan sanctuary. Less well known is the fact that it’s possible to observe a critically endangered dolphin in Malaysian Sarawak Borneo.
Borneo is the world’s third largest island. It’s split between three countries, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. In Malaysian Sarawak the capital is Kuching. Ten species of dolphin can be found here, the Rough-toothed dolphin, Indo-Pacific hump-backed dolphin, Fraser’s dolphin, Common dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, Spotted dolphin, Striped dolphin, Long-snouted spinner dolphin and the Finless porpoise. But the critically endangered yet most popular focus of most Kuching dolphin watching tours is the Irawaddy dolphin. This is because the areas covered are rivers and estuaries. The rivers and estuaries are also home to crocodiles, which rules out swimming with the dolphins and feeding them too. This is a very different dolphin watching experience to ones in other parts of the world in the open sea.
Sarawak’s dolphin watching season is April to November, after the wet season ends and before it begins again. This is because the sea can be rough in the wet season and this combined with the rain make dolphins hard to spot and the experience of watching a little miserable unless you’re a fan of rain.
Near Kuching, Santubong, Salak and Buntal are very good for watching Irrawaddy dolphins.
CPH Travel are the practically the only dolphin-watching tour operator. They began tours in 1998.
When you’re out on a tour it is important to realise that the Irawaddy dolphins do not show themselves entirely when they surface. They surface quickly and roll a couple of times with their heads usually remaining beneath the water.
The Irawaddy dolphin was ‘discovered’ by Sir Richard Owen in 1852 and this discovery was broadcast to the world in 1866.
The Irawaddy dolphin is genetically closely related to the Killer Whale and bears some resemblance to it, although not in colour. The Irawaddy dolphin is a greyish to dark grey-blueish colour with a paler underside. The dorsal is small and rounded and in the middle of the back and the beak is short. Although in Borneo referred to as the Irawaddy river dolphin and spotted in the river and estuaries, the Irawaddy dolphin is not actually a river dolphin but an oceanic dolphin.
Human interaction with the Irawaddy dolphin is disputed. They respond to human interaction and take fish from fishermen but there are people who live in the area that believe far greater care should be taken when interacting with them. A lot of the guidelines for tours follow the Australian protocol, which of course applies to other genus of dolphin, as the Irawaddy dolphin are not found in Australia. After all, the species is vulnerable and the population is critically endangered.
Going to watch the Irawaddy dolphin in Borneo is a vastly rewarding experience but it is important to remember that these animals need extra special care when being observed. Do not behave in ways which disturb them more than the act of watching itself and definitely don’t attempt to swim with them.
