Irrawaddy dolphins 🐬🌊
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Photo: Bernard DUPONT via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Explore volunteer and conservation projects involving Irrawaddy dolphins where research, monitoring, habitat protection or other conservation activities are genuinely connected with this species.
These projects may involve scientific fieldwork, marine conservation, community outreach or long-term monitoring of dolphin populations and their habitats.
What is an Irrawaddy dolphin? 🐬🌊
The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is a dolphin species found in coastal waters, estuaries and a small number of freshwater river systems in South and Southeast Asia. It has a rounded forehead, no distinct beak and a small dorsal fin. Although some populations live in rivers, it is an oceanic dolphin species rather than a true river dolphin. The species is classified as endangered, and several isolated river populations face particularly serious conservation threats.
On Voluntouring, this tag is used for projects where Irrawaddy dolphins are directly connected with conservation, research, monitoring, habitat protection or community-based conservation activities. Simply being located in a region where the species occurs, or offering dolphin watching as a leisure activity, is not enough.
Irrawaddy dolphin conservation
Conservation activities may include boat or land-based surveys, photo-identification, recording sightings and behaviour, habitat monitoring, stranding response, community outreach and research into threats such as fisheries bycatch, pollution and habitat degradation.
Some projects may involve scientific fieldwork, while volunteers without specialist experience may contribute through support activities, basic monitoring or environmental outreach. Direct handling of wild dolphins should not be treated as a normal volunteer activity and should only occur when necessary for authorised conservation, rescue or research work under appropriate professional supervision.
How to use this page
Read each listing carefully and ask what volunteers actually do, who supervises the research, what training is provided and how the collected data contributes to longer-term conservation. Some roles may require marine biology, research, boating or diving experience.
Projects involving boats, diving or remote field stations may also require specific safety training, insurance and equipment. Confirm current programme dates, accommodation, minimum stay, required qualifications and any mandatory fees before applying.
Related opportunities: Marine conservation · Conservation · Research · Wildlife
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Browse Irrawaddy dolphin conservation projects 🐬🌊
Browse the opportunities below and check how Irrawaddy dolphins are actually connected with each project. Older listings may have changed their research activities, volunteer requirements or participation conditions, so confirm current information before applying.
Does your organisation run a research or conservation programme where volunteers genuinely contribute to Irrawaddy dolphin monitoring or protection? You can submit your opportunity to Voluntouring.org for editorial review.
