08/30/2007
Videographer Claims Sighting of Extinct Baiji River Dolphin
Scientists recently declared the Baiji, or Yangtze River dolphin as it is sometimes called, extinct. If so, it would be the first marine mammal to be declared extinct as a result of human activity, and certainly the largest mammal to die out in many years.
Recent evidence may suggest otherwise:
"Now, a video shot on 19 August has emerged in which a large white Baiji-like animal is seen swimming in a section of the Yangtze river known to have been a Baiji hotspot. The video was shot by a Chinese man and eventually made its way to the Institute of Hydrobiology in Wuhan, China, where biologists have confirmed that the animal in the film may be a Baiji."
Or not:
"[Zoologist Samuel] Turvey, who has seen sections of the film, says it is impossible to say for sure as the video is of poor quality and was shot from a great distance. 'I'm worried that we may get into a grey area. Like when Bigfoot film appears on film somewhere, but it is never verifiable,' he told New Scientist. According to an online translation of the account given by the man who shot the film, the animal was seen jumping out of the water. Baiji do not jump out of the water, says Turvey, and neither do their relatives, finless porpoise. He says both species do arch their back when they surface to breathe, which could have been mistaken for a jump; and the account may have been poorly translated."
Said Turvey: "I have the horrible sensation that I will watch it die all over again."
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 5:45 PM EST by Andy in China, Nature, News | Permalink
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Posted by: anon | Aug 30, 2007 6:47:39 PM
I'm a little unclear on the technical definition of "extinct." I take it, from the linked story, that none of these dolphins exist in zoos or private collections anywhere in the world?
Posted by: Turtle | Aug 30, 2007 8:11:40 PM
"...the first marine mammal to be declared extinct as a result of human activity."
On the contrary, the Steller's Sea Cow, a marine mammal, died out as a result of human activity more than a hundred years ago. Perhaps what you really meant to say there was "cetacean."
Posted by: Danny | Aug 30, 2007 8:58:28 PM
A population of one has no potential to breed…so it may as well be extinct. Granted, where there is one, there is bound to be two, etc., etc.... Even so, as its population dwindles so does its genetic stock.
Unless these very few can make an extrordinary adaptive leap to compensate for the severe degradation of its habitat by human activity, for all intents and purposes, the animal is the "walking dead".
Posted by: Gil | Aug 30, 2007 9:57:10 PM
for all intensive porpoises, the dolphin is gone.
Posted by: hugh jazz | Aug 30, 2007 10:44:05 PM
The Baiji was already critically endangered before the Three Gorges Dam went ahead- the dam pushed it over the brink. Again, humanity outs profit before biological diversity. If there is a Baiji out there, then it'll probably join the Giant Pinta Galapagos Tortoise Lonesome George as the last of its kind... Sometimes I really hate us fucking humans...
Posted by: Wirrrn | Aug 31, 2007 11:47:38 AM
I think it is more a matter of poor useage of the work "extinction." And yes, the Steller's Sea Cow as declared extinct for the same reasons stated in this article...when will people/editors learn to check sources?
Posted by: Joey | Sep 1, 2007 9:18:10 AM