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Outlook Poor for Chinese River Dolphin
8-Aug-2007
Written by: Jess Boettger
Researchers fear marine mammal extinct after intensive search of Yangtze River.
The outlook is grim for the Yangtze river dolphin. An international team of researchers combed 1,500 km of the river in 2006 without spotting even one dolphin. The mammal has faced serious problems with dwindling numbers for years now, which is largely blamed upon China’s rapid modernization, reports BBC News. The dolphins and other river inhabitants face heavy traffic on the waterway, industrial pollution, and the recent construction of the Three Gorges dam.
In the mid-1990s, the count for baiji dolphins turned up thirteen living specimens. This was a drastic drop from the 1950s, when the marine mammal’s population numbered in the thousands. Researchers are projecting that the Yangtze river dolphin is extinct, reports BBC News. But according to World Conservation Union regulations, an animal may only be classified as extinct after a period of 50 years without a confirmed sighting. The last confirmed dolphin sighting was only five years ago, with numerous unconfirmed sightings since. Still, even if there are dolphins left, the marine-going animals -— as well as others like them -— face the serious threat of extinction.
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