NEWS: Humans: 1, Baiji: 0

CULTURE: Humans: 1, Baiji: 0. RIP, Baiji.

A six week search of the Yangtze River in China proved fruitless for scientists searching for signs of the baiji, also known as the white dolphin. It has been declared the first large mammal to become extinct in modern times.

August Pfluger, the Swiss co-leader of the joint Chinese-foreign expedition and founder of Baiji.org, blamed apathy for his foundation's inability to raise sufficient funds to counteract the environmental impact of overfishing and shipping traffic.

There's the possibility that the dolphin is still to be found in eastern China, but it won't be in the numbers needed for a sustainable population. Even if scientists were able to find a pair to breed in captivity, there must be sufficient genetic diversity in order to maintain a healthy group.

The Baiji.org Foundation will now turn its efforts to the conservation of other freshwater dolphin species, such as the Yangtze finless porpoise.

Unfortunately, it's likely this won't be the last extinction we see in our lifetimes.

"Unfortunately, it's likely this won't be the last extinction we see in our lifetimes."

http://suicidegirls.com/news/culture/15585/

There is a good piece in Douglas Adams' "Last Chance to See" about how the Baiji were endangered in the 80s because of all the motorboat traffic on the Yangtze. It's a great book about several then endangered species, though I'm not sure of the status of the other animals in the book now.

I'm surprised anything at all was still living in the Yangtze, given the level of pollution.

yeah, sad to think about what life was like.

Makes me proud to be a human top species and all that.

I was completely unaware until I read this in the newspaper this morning. This is really sad; it is/was such a neat, unique animal.

I blame the endangered species chocolate company for not having a white dolphin bar.

Seriously though, this sucks.

Fucking Chinese government! Token panda appreciation but no ecological maintenance. I sincerely hope this is not true, I watched an Attenborough documentary when I was younger on these guys and was became fascinated by them. This is bad news.

At least they'll never be able to evolve opposable thumbs, then rule us all.

Hippies hippies everywhere, but not a one can think.

Well it's interesting that you point that out, Helen, considering the ending I actually submitted for the article was

Beg pardon?

Haha. That's lame. She could have just quoted your ending and put her link up instead of co-opting your writing.

How many 19 year old emo kids does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Animals have always gone extinct, and always will. It's why we aren't living on a big ass pile of animals right now.

Which is the reason I go out and personally shoot as many endangered species as possible. I figure, hey, why not speed up the process? :sarcastic:

Insensitive ass.

Yes, a species becoming extinct because of polluted water and the noise of boat motors is exactly the same thing as a major asteroid strike, or natural selection. And the pollution that killed off the Baiji certainly isn't a problem for humans. Ass.

Fuck humanity.

Mother nature needs to let loose with volcanoes/earthquakes/tsunamis and just kill us all off.

Ugh. Things like this just make me feel physically ill.

what a shame. i bet they were delicious.

touche'

Sepnding its time hooking for that next fix of sweet, sweet smack. Finding salvation in chemicals. Finding salvation in having unprotected sex with strangers for cash or smack.

Life's rough when your dad's a crooked cop Baiji and your mom is a pill-junkie Baiji.

A pain I know all too well.

I read about this... So sad.

Well, you could always read The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler. The prospects for humanity he outlines in that book might make you feel better.