Freshwater Dolphin Extinct

A rare, freshwater dolphin known to be found on ly in the Yangzte River is now thought to be completely extinct, thanks to recent research carried out over a 6-week period in which absolutely none were found or spotted. The team involved blamed unregulated fishing. This would be the first known extinction of a large vertebrate in over 50 years. It should come as no surprise it happened In China.

The six-week research endeavor was carried out using both visual and sonar equipment in December 2006 and January 2007. They also noted that other human involvement, such as boat collisions and the destruction of dams, have likely contributed. But they also noted that some small schools and individuals might have been overlooked. Still, the overwhelmingly depressing results indicate the species may very well extinct or, at the very least, severely endangered.

-Source: BBC