How Long Has the Chinese River Dolphin Been Endangered?

Date Endangered

• The Chinese river dolphin was officially listed as endangered on May 30, 1989. This is the date it was included on the U.S. Fish &Wildlife List of Endangered Species; different countries have different status requirements, but this is one of the most widely accepted.

  Another of the most widely accepted organizations for declaring the endangered status of species is the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. When a species has a habitat that is reduced to less than 100 square miles, or sees an 80 percent drop in the number of individuals in the wild, they are listed as Critically Endangered. This means the species is at high risk for extinction, and the Chinese river dolphin was added to that list in 1998.

Habitat

• The Chinese river dolphin is also known as the Yangtze River dolphin after the only river it is found. Although it has been known and revered in Asia for centuries, it has only been in the last century or so that those outside the immediate area became aware of this rare freshwater dolphin. Most of the dolphins -- typically seen swimming in small groups -- were found in the southern half of the river, closest to where the Yangtze empties into the ocean. This section of river is about 870 miles long. It is thought that the Chinese river dolphin was once suited to ocean life, but adapted to the freshwater river and murky conditions over 20 million years of evolution.

History

• A relatively large population of these dolphins were once viewed as representatives of the goddess of protection, sent to guard Chinese fisherman and boatmen from harm. Exact numbers were not kept, but the river dolphin was brought to the world's attention in the early 20th century. The population declined severely throughout the 20th century, and by 1980, it was estimated there were only about 400 individuals left in the wild. By 1999, that number was thought to have dropped to about 13, although the dolphins' shy nature and the murky, crowded conditions of the river make exact numbers difficult to gauge. By 2006, the debate began on whether or not the dolphin is extinct.

Threats

• The Yangtze is a busy river, and not well-suited to being shared between dolphins and boats. The increase in boat traffic and the population on the river is thought to be responsible for the deaths of many of the dolphins. The river is heavily fished, and the dolphins have frequently been caught in nets, and killed by electro-fishing, explosives and hooks. The construction of buildings along the river has added not only to boat traffic but to pollution, and the construction of dams has severely limited the range of the dolphins and blocked off access to lakes and inlets.