La Plata dolphin

La Plata dolphin Temporal range: Pliocene-recent[1]
Stranded individual
Size compared to an average human
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[3]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	Pontoporiidae
Genus:	Pontoporia Gray, 1846
Species:	P. blainvillei
Binomial name
Pontoporia blainvillei Gervais & d'Orbigny, 1844
La Plata dolphin range

The La Plata dolphin, franciscana or toninha (Pontoporia blainvillei) is a species of river dolphin found in coastal Atlantic waters of southeastern South America.^[4] It is a member of the Inioidea group and the only one that lives in the ocean and saltwater estuaries, rather than inhabiting exclusively freshwater systems. Commercialized areas that create agricultural runoffs and industrialized zones can affect the health of the La Plata dolphin, especially in regards to their contributions of waste and pollution, which can lead to habitat degradation and poisoned food among other concerns. ^{[citation needed]}