Jakarta, July 4 -- Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has said that a sharp decline in the population of the endangered Mahakam dolphin ( Orcaella brevirostris ) in the Mahakam River, East Kalimantan, points to an ecological crisis.

In a statement released here on Friday, Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said that the population of the Mahakam dolphin, a freshwater mammal endemic to Indonesia, has dropped to approximately 62 individuals.

"This figure is not just a statistic. It is a strong indicator of ecosystem degradation that demands urgent attention and action," he added.

He said that threats to the Mahakam dolphin reflect broader systemic pressures on the river's ecosystem.

The decline in the population of the ...