Chinese white dolphin

중국흰돌고래

A dolphin of the Pearl River Estuary around Hong Kong, where adults turn pink and white as they age. It has a long beak and a hump under its dorsal fin, and grows to about 2.5 m. It is the symbol of Hong Kong and is threatened by coastal development.

See it on the 3D globe →

At a glance

Class: Mammals
Lives in: Pearl River Estuary, Hong Kong
Diet: Fish eater
Weight: about 190 kg
Length: about 2.5 m
Lifespan: up to about 40 years
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN VU)
Habitat: coasts

Quick answers

Where does the Chinese white dolphin live?

It lives in coasts of the Pacific and Indian oceans. On the globe you can find it near Pearl River Estuary, Hong Kong.

How big is the Chinese white dolphin?

It grows to about 2.5 m and 190 kg.

What does the Chinese white dolphin eat?

Its diet: fish eater.

How long does the Chinese white dolphin live?

It can live up to about 40 years.

Is the Chinese white dolphin endangered?

It is listed as Vulnerable (IUCN VU).

The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin lives in shallow coastal waters of the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Around Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China it is called the Chinese white dolphin, and it is a famous symbol of Hong Kong.

Adults are 2 to 3.5 metres long and weigh 150 to 230 kilograms. They can be grey, white or pink, and they have a long beak and a hump under the dorsal fin. Some live as long as 40 years. Some scientists treat it as a subspecies of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, but DNA tests show the two are separate species.

Why are they pink?

Calves are born dark grey or black and about 1 metre long. As they grow, their colour lightens through mottled grey. In some populations along the coasts of China and Thailand, adults turn pink.

The pink does not come from a pigment. It comes from blood vessels near the skin that are very well developed to help the dolphin control its body temperature. The card says it was the mascot of Hong Kong's 1997 handover to China.

Daily life

They live in small groups, usually fewer than ten animals, and hunt together using echolocation. An adult comes up to breathe for 20 to 30 seconds, then dives for two to eight minutes.

Calves have smaller lungs, so they surface about twice as often. In 2014 a new species, the Australian humpback dolphin, was split off from this one. Calves surface more often because their lungs are small.

Fun facts

Calves are dark grey and turn pink as they grow; it was the official mascot of the 1997 Hong Kong handover.
Their pink colour comes from blood vessels, not pigment.
Calves are dark grey and lighten as they grow.
Adults rarely stay under for more than four minutes.