A close encounter with a unique mammal
Visit the Kalpitiya Lagoon to witness the playful pink dolphins in action. These Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins are rare species and are spotted in the lagoon of Kalpitiya.
The best time to watch Pink Dolphins is around 7.30 in the morning where they emerge to feed on sea-grass in the somewhat shallow waters and spend an hour or so playing with each other. Generally they are seen in pods of four or five. Suddenly one of them will jump into the air and splash into the water when landing.
The Pink Dolphin is lighter in shade and has a pint of pink on its dorsal fin and tail. Their snouts are longer and face is a lighter shade of grey, near white. What gives them their name is the dorsal hump, where the fin is much more smaller than the other types of dolphins. As their bodies are heavier than other dolphins, they cannot jump too high and they make an almost ‘flat’ splashing noise when landing.
It is wonderful to watch these dolphins dip, dive and emerge float for a while and dive again. Pink Dolphins are known to be friendly, they do not hide or disappear when they see boats. They come very close and swim under the boat to come to the surface again and play with the others, swimming together and pushing each other.
The Pink Dolphin also known as Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin is a nearly threatened mammal features in the red list of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Pink Dolphins have kind faces and they are friendly animals that do not harm anyone. Their numbers are dwindling because of their trustworthy nature. It is of great importance that we protect these special animals of the ocean.
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