One beautiful, intelligent mammal species may surprise us all and return from its apparent death. The baiji, or Yangtze river dolphin, was the first large mammal species to become extinct in the 21st century. A symbol of peace and prosperity, the baiji's population declined rapidly over the course of a half-century as a result of sonar pollution, damming, overfishing, and boat collisions.
In 2006, the once-fertile portion of the Yangtze river, once home to the baiji, was scanned thoroughly for any remaining dolphins. A forty-five day search using a large crew and state-of-the art technology revealed the river to now be little more than a barren, watery grave-- there was not a single Yangtze river dolphin to be found anywhere in the river. At the conclusion of the forty-five day search and several detailed investigations of the data, the scientists concluded that the baiji was, in all probability, extinct.
The tragedy has a light at the end of the tunnel, but the light remains dim and distant. Like the rare takahe, a flightless bird native to New Zealand, who was found alive in a wilderness area decades after being declared extinct, the baiji may also make a comeback and grant conservationists a pleasant and uplifting surprise. After years of valiant effort, breeding programs, and habitat restoration, the takahe now has a population of nearly three hundred. Perhaps the Yangtze river dolphin, too, may have a second chance.
Still, hope remains slim for the baiji's survival. The quality of the Yangtze river is plummeting rapidly due to pollution and damming, and is filled to its brim with soil, toxic sludge, and algae blooms. Realizing the severity of this disaster and its potential impacts humans and animals alike, the Chinese government released urgent plans to prevent geological disasters in the Yangtze.
At least 1500 highly polluting businesses have been shut down along the Yangtze river, and some four million residents are being removed to more sustainable areas. Trees have also been planted in an effort to prevent further soil erosion. However, these drastic-seeming efforts on behalf of the Chinese government might be a classic case of "too little, too late" for the baiji. It does no good to "save" a species that is already gone.
Despite the seemingly grim outcome for this beautiful freshwater dolphin species, some conservationists hold onto hope that the baiji river dolphin might still exist somewhere in the Yangtze river. One lone individual was believed to be sighted swimming aimlessly and confused in late August of 2007. That same month, another observer videotaped a creature that has been "tentatively confirmed" to be the now-legendary Yangtze river dolphin.
While this in itself is encouraging, and a possible sign that the baiji may indeed be one of the few rare "lazarus species", hope remains slim. Even if as many as ten of these beauties still live, the possibility of creating a viable, non-inbred genepool is almost nonexistant. Unfortunately, the extinction of the Yangtze river dolphin may, in fact, mean forever. The most that we can truly hope for is that the baiji can stand as a martyred example, begging for humanity to mend its destructive ways.