Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin (Sousa chinensis). Crazy about roller coasters? The last Baiji Dolphin was confirmed to be seen in that river in 2006 so they are now regarded as being functionally extinct. Currently only found in the Yangtze River of China. IWC. The mode for last sighting date was 1982 for baiji, 1983 for shad, and 1974 for paddlefish, although there were also three other, only slightly lower, peaks in paddlefish last-sighting date frequency between 1977 and 1984 (Figure 2b; the distribution of last-sighting dates for this species appears stable across this time period). Reeves, R. R., Stewart, B.S., Clapman, P.J., and J.A. Advanced equipments and a well-formulated standard were used for the search expedition, during which participants conducted uninterrupted simultaneous surveillance via high-precision telescope and human eyesight. The baiji dolphin went extinct in 2006, the Xerces blue butterfly in 1941 and the thylacine in 1936. Go behind-the-scenes to see how our trainers care for and interact with these amazing animals, and get up close with some finned, flippered, or feathered friends. Lipotes vexillifer. Now in its fifth decade, WWF, the global conservation organization, works in more than 100 countries around the world. “WWF calls for immediate joint efforts to provide a living space for this beautiful animal, which is a key species indicating the health of its habitat – the Yangtze River. “Protections will be implemented under the WWF program to conserve the Baiji and the Yangtze together with related stakeholders,” Baragona added.###. Powell (Peter Folkens illustrator).National Audubon Society: Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. Washington, DC 20037. The Chinese media reported that a local businessman in Tongling City in east China’s Anhui Province filmed “a big white animal” with his digital camera on August 19. Find a variety of free classroom activities that will keep your students engaged and excited to learn about animals. Last year, WWF cooperated with other stakeholders to finish drafting a protection strategy and action plan to improve the protection capacity of nature reserves. By Brian Gruters. Jefferson, T.J. Leatherwood, S. and M.A. In his book about the baiji’s plight, Witness to Extinction, biologist Samuel Turvey described how thousands of years of human activity had decimated the … Find quick information and fun facts with these 1-page easy resources about animals from A to Z. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T12119A50362206. However, baiji also may become ensnared in the mass of hooks. About the Yangtze Freshwater Dolphin Expedition 2006Organized by the Hydrobiology Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Yangtze Fisheries Resources Administration Commission and The baiji.org Foundation with support from WWF, American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Britain’s Zoological Society of London and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), the search is the largest of such kind in recent years in the Yangtze River. IWC/52/4. II. We are forced to conclude that the baiji is now likely to be extinct, probably due to unsustainable by-catch in local fisheries. The Chinese media reported that a local businessman in Tongling City in east China’s Anhui Province filmed “a big white animal” with his digital camera on August 19. New York: Random House, 2002. SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. Varying water levels in the Yangtze River due to industrial development have limited available habitat. Rome. Status IUCN: Critically Endangered (possibly extinct) Chinese biologists began devising a protection strategy in 1986.By establishing reserve sites along the Yangtze River, scientists are hopeful that the species can be saved. Parker, S. Report of the Standing Sub-Committee on Small Cetaceans. The baiji would be the first large aquatic mammal driven to extinction since hunting and overfishing killed off the Caribbean monk seal in the 1950s. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T12119A50362206. However, several species are in danger of extinction. © 2020 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ten years after it was declared functionally extinct, amateur conservationists believe they have spotted a Yangtze river dolphin, or baiji, in a stretch of the Yangtze in eastern China. Leatherwood, Stephen, and Reeves, Randall R. The Sierra Club Handbook of Whales and Dolphins. In 1992 parts of the river were preserved only for the dolphins, but such efforts to conserve the location came far too late. Over fishing has decreased the baiji's food supply. Historically, the Baiji was also found in Dongting and Poyang Lakes. BEIJING-- The reported sighting of a Yangtze River dolphin, or Baiji, means there is still a chance for people to take further action and protect the cetaceans in the Yangtze from extinction, according to World Wildlife Fund. At SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, we extend our commitment to the environment beyond our company by supporting a variety of conservation groups and programs. Baiji is a Chinese word meaning "a white dolphin." Vol. These long, braided lines with numerous sharp hooks are meant to catch fishes. Grizmek's Encyclopedia of Mammals. Webber. Walker's Mammals of the World. They are also known as the Whitefin Dolphin, Yangtze Dolphin and White Flag Dolphin. About World Wildlife FundKnown in the United States as World Wildlife Fund and recognized worldwide by its panda logo, WWF leads international efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats and to conserve the diversity of life on Earth.