Journey of the Pink Dolphins by Sy Montgomery

When Sy Montgomery ventured into the Amazon to unlock the mysteries of the littleknown pink dolphins, she found ancient whales that plied the Amazon River at dawn and dusk, swam through treetops in flooded forests, and performed underwater ballets with their flexible bodies. But she soon found out that to know the botos, as the dolphins are locally called, you must also know the people who live among them.

And so in Journey of the Pink Dolphins, Montgomery - part naturalist, part poet, part Indiana Jones - winds her way through watery tributaries and riverside villages, searching for botos and hearing the tales of locals who believe these ethereal dolphins are shape-shifters - creatures that emerge from the water as splendidly dressed men or women only to enchant their human onlookers, capture their souls, and then carry them away to the Encante, an underwater world. Montgomery takes readers on four separate journeys, exploring the river-dwelling dolphins’ natural history, chronicling their conservation pressures, unraveling their prehistoric roots, and visiting with shamans who delve into the Encante.

Amazon river dolphins. They live in freshwater. Anywhere in the Amazon of South America. And they are pink. But how do they live? Where do they migrate? How are they organized as a group? And what role do Amazon river dolphins play in the ecosystem rain forest?

I have to admit. Before reading "Journey of the Pink Dolphins", I thought about getting to know Amazon river dolphins a little bit more in the book, as I do not know much about these beautiful animals.

Which adventure would Sy Montgomery experience with these river dolphins in the Amazon?

Would she be able to share some new facts about them?

And which thoughts might she tell her readers?

These were some of the questions I had before reading the book. I was curious, as I had read already other books by the same author - "How to be a good creature" - which fascinated me. Already previous books were kind of surprising for me, as according to the title I had expected different stories. Thus, again, I had some expectations about the book and thoughts about what I might read about Amazon river dolphins.

However, yet again, the title led me to another direction.

But this is not bad at all. From previous books I knew already the author's empathy for animals. And I knew that Sy Montgomery would be able to transform every book into something precious.

Of course, the author traveled several times to the Amazon region in order to search for the river dolphins. But instead of getting to know more the biology of these mammals, she listened to the stories of local people.

The stories were about underwater cities. But also about river dolphins that transform into handsome men in the night to seduce young woman. Just a quick-change artist.

Might European or North American scientists like such kind of stories?

The author also writes about her thoughts with respect to this. I would have loved to be part of these conversations! As we live in a scientific orientated society, not many people might be able to make use of such kind of stories...

Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the book, although I had expected a different content. No travel story. But more about the biology of these dolphins and less insight into the mythology of Amazon river dolphins. It is, however, the style of narration which moves me. Her thoughts. And her empathetic way writing about her experiences.

Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest by Sy Montgomery

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