Baiji Dolphins: Extinct Already?
All creatures are magnificent in their own way, and some are almost gone! Some are already too far gone for us to do anything but learn from, but it is our job to protect the animals depending on us. There is very little know about Baiji dolphins, but they are considered functionally extinct. That means that they no longer play a substantial role in their ecosystem. The dolphins numbers are few, and declining. We might not be able to save these dolphins, but there are other animals that we can save. Here you will find as much information as I could find, because, like I said, there is very little know about them.
Baiji dolphins have other names including: Pei C'hi, Beiji, Yangtze River Dolphin, Whitefin Dolphin, Chinese River Dolphin, and Whiteflag Dolphin. they live in the Yangtze River which has nine cities bordering it, including Shanghai. It is a highly populated and polluted river which brings the threats to them. Human disturbance, loss of habitat, fishing net entanglement, whaling, and pollution are all threats to their small numbers. No one knows how they breed. When a boat passes by, they dive deep down, do a sharp turn, and come up far behind the boat. Following their diet of fish, they may go closer to shore and hunt in the shallower water. Newborns are 32 to 35 inches and adults are four feet and nine inches to eight feet and three inches.
We need to learn from the Baiji dolphins, because while we shouldn't give up on them, there is so many animals that need our help. If you have wildlife near you that is unique to that area, learn about it, the threats it faces, and if it is endangered. There is so many animals that are extinct, are you prepared to let more go without a fight?
