China's River Dolphins Could Die Out in 10 Years

May 15, 2003

Report: River Dolphins Could Die Out in 10 Years

Wed May 14, 2003 01:48 PM ET

GENEVA (Reuters) - A rare freshwater dolphin found

only in China's huge Yangtze River could die out

within the next 10 years unless fishing methods there

change, a global conservation body said on Wednesday.

And the Yangtze dolphin, the baiji, could quickly be

followed into extinction by the vaquita porpoise of

Mexico's Gulf of California, New Zealand's Hector's

dolphin, and several populations of whales, the World

Conservation Union (IUCN) said.

The warnings were issued in a new IUCN study on how

the three groups of water-dwelling mammals,

collectively known as cetaceans, are surviving at the

start of the 21st century.

" Some (conservation) progress has been made

but...grave threats to the continued existence of many

cetaceans still exist, and many are worsening, " said

IUCN specialist William Perrin, one of the authors of

the report.

The larger whales like the blues, humpbacks and sperm,

whose meat is prized by some nations, have long been

the focus of protection efforts and many are still

under threat.

But the IUCN said it was the lesser-known and smaller

cetaceans, often found only in developing countries,

which were in special danger.

To save it, the report said, the dolphin should be

protected from snag-line and electric fishing, while

off northern Mexico efforts had to be made to ensure

the vaquita was not caught in nets intended to sweep

up fish.

IUCN Press Release at:

The New Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.

Recommended Posts