After surviving 20 million years, China's goddess of the river is driven to extinction

[tritsofme]

For 20 million years, the white-fin dolphin, or baiji, swam China's longest river, the Yangtze. But a few years of breakneck development, overfishing and a massive increase in shipping have reduced sightings of this shy, graceful creature to zero.

A recent expedition failed to spot a single Lipotes vexillifer, and now conservationists fear the almost-blind, long-beaked animal is gone for good, the first big aquatic mammal to become extinct due to human activity.

"We have to accept the fact that the baiji is extinct. It is a tragedy, a loss not only for China, but for the entire world," said the joint leader of the expedition, August Pfluger, an economist who runs the Swiss-based baiji.org, an environmental group dedicated to saving the dolphins.

Scientists say the search for the dolphin will continue, even though the 30-strong team which has plied the length of the Yangtze for the past six weeks failed to sight the cetacean.

Measuring up to 8ft 2in (2.5 metres) in length, the baiji is a relative of other freshwater dolphins in the Mekong, Indus, Ganges and Amazon rivers.

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http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2083841.ece

Very sad occurance.

[hlthe2b]

1. So very sad...

But, unfortunately, we are likely to see much more of this...

[StClone]

2. Stellar Sea Cow

Now has a companion ghost. Welcome to the beginning of the big breakdown.

[NoodleyAppendage]

3. fu*k china. prison labor. organ farms. dolphin killers. n/t

j

[Critters2]

10. And our largest trading partner. Makes me sick. nt

[Lasher]

16. Actually Canada is our biggest trading partner.

China is second, followed by Mexico.

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top/dst/current/balance.html

But it makes me sick too.

[AngryAmish]

4. Way to go, Bush!

Great job. 20 millions years down the toilet!

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[michreject]

27. Bush has did a lot of thing wrong

but I gotta know how this was one of them?:shrug:

[tabasco]

5. So goes the baiji, so goes man.

We are so stupid we shit in our own bed.

[roguevalley]

7. I could just die over stuff like this.

[Barrett808]

22. Me too, but we'd better steel ourselves...

...because the worst is yet to come. Gorillas and hippos in DR Congo are next, with hippos gone within the month.

And then there's the health of the oceans...

[rocktivity]

8. Here it is--I mean, was...

:(
rocknation

[truthisfreedom]

9. kinda sly-looking lil' devil.

[The Stranger]

23. This is the end -- beautiful friend, the end.

[NickB79]

11. I still don't understand why there were no captive breeding populations

We've known for many years that their numbers were dropping fast, yet none were captured for breeding stock in a zoo or wildlife sanctuary?

[Chulanowa]

12. Those that were captired all died of starvation

Sad fact of endangered animals - a great number of them are endangered because they are delicate and can't be sustained by a breeding program. And when we're dealing with animals we barely know anything about, such as the freshwater dolphins, it just complicates the matter further.

[Dead_Parrot]

15. Not for want of trying

Grab a copy of Doug Adams Last Chance to See... - The Chinese have thrown millions of dollars and a good 10 years at trying to save the Baiji, but they just didn't survive in captivity. :(

[Lasher]

17. Maybe we're being a little harsh in condemning the Chinese

We've not exactly been a good role model in the preservation of species. Take the Carolina Parakeet, for example. It was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States, until we wiped them out a hundred years ago. They bred easily in captivity and we still killed them all. At least China tried.



Oh well, at least their feathers made some real trendy hats for the ladies to wear back then.

[BreweryYardRat]

21. China tried, and river dolphins aren't exactly a high-population genus in the first place.

Doesn't make it suck any less.

And your argument applies with even greater force to the Passenger Pigeon. They used to fly in flocks of millions. And they went on people's dinner tables while their old-growth nesting trees were chopped down. :(

[Lasher]

26. Yes, I thought of the Passenger Pigeon as I offered my prior thoughts

But I intentionally cited the Parakeet due to its beauty and lesser notoriety.

Other 'lesser' species are being lost forever at an alarming rate. We, collectively, don't even take notice.

[Endangered Specie]

13. I see the Great Leap Foward is still going strong

:sarcasm:

[gulfcoastliberal]

14. More andmore of these tragedies will occur as humans overcrowd and destroy the environement.

Sad that people refuse to believe that having children doesn't correlate with this type of disaster.

[Lasher]

18. I agree, gulfcoastliberal.

We could improve our stewardship of the earth, but at some point we really need to seriously consider ramifications of worldwide population growth. Ironically, China has acted effectively to control theirs, perhaps more assertively than any other nation.

[leftofthedial]

19. it's called survival of the fittest

if those damned fish can't survive capitalism in the new China, then whining about it is pathetic. You "spotted-owl-loving" liberals make me sick.

:sarcasm:

our damned species

[The Stranger]

20. At the far end of town where the Grickle-grass grows . . .

And at that very moment, we heard a loud whack!
From outside in the fields came a sickening smack
of an axe on a tree. Then we heard the tree fall.
The very last Truffula Tree of them all!

No more trees. No more Thneeds. No more work to be done.
So, in no time, my uncles and aunts, every one,
all waved me good-bye. They jumped into my cars
and drove away under the smoke-smuggered stars.

Now all that was left ´neath the bad-smelling sky
was my big empty factory... the Lorax... and I.

The Lorax said nothing. Just gave me a glance...
just gave me a very sad, sad backward glance...
as he lifted himself by the seat of his pants.
And I´ll never forget the grim look on his face
when he heisted himself and took leave of this place . . .

[Morgana LaFey]

24. A little late to be LOOKING for them, isn't it??

Sheesh.

They should've been doing population studies and trying to prevent extinction much earlier.

[beth9999]

25. That's what happens

when you have Conservative Repugs in charge of the environment.

[BluePatriot]

28. So sad. :(

[newportdadde]

29. So long and thanks for all the fish.