How Did the Pink Dolphin Become Endangered?

Fishing

• Pink dolphins caught in fishing nets struggle and die. Fishing boats cast the nets along the coasts. The dolphins swim near the coast, having no fear of humans, and become caught in the nets. Many beaches have shark nets that, meant to prevent sharks from reaching swimmers, also capture dolphins. Some fishing companies throughout the Amazon Basin use explosives, killing dolphins in the blast. A lack of fishing regulations around Hong Kong creates overfishing problems. The overfishing leaves little food behind for the dolphins to eat.

Hunting

• Although it is illegal to kill wild animals in the Amazon, according to "U.S. News and World Report," the slaughter of pink dolphins is common. The flesh of the slaughtered dolphins is not eaten, but is used as bait. The flesh effectively catches catfish. Fishermen kill the dolphin for bait instead of spending money for it. Hunting is one of the biggest reasons for the Amazon river dolphin's place on the IUCN Red List, but the hunting of the Chinese white dolphin is not as common.

Chemicals

• Toxic chemicals, such as DDT pesticides and PCBs, seep into the waters around Hong Kong and contaminate it. As Hong Kong builds along the coast, contaminated mud enters the water, taking the toxic waste with it. Dumped sewage contaminates the water, as well. The dolphins eat contaminated fish and become contaminated themselves from exposure. The toxic chemicals kill the dolphins as well as the food they need. In the Amazon, mining operations use mercury to find gold. The chemical seeps into the water and the dolphins die from the effects of high levels of mercury.

Construction

• Dams built throughout the Amazon are restricting dolphin movement. The dolphins become cut off from other areas and trapped. The dolphins are not able to leave the river or basins for new feeding areas. The building of dams shrinks dolphin habitats. More dams are being built according to IUCN and will restrict more habitats and potentially trap more dolphins. In Hong Kong, bridge and airport construction harms the dolphin population because of the sounds. Dolphins use sonar to communicate and the harsh sounds from plane and vehicles interfere with the communication. Dolphins become disoriented and may hit boats, get caught in nets or become beached.