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Dolphins make a comeback in Pearl River Estuary

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Environment
  • Published
    21st Oct, 2020

According to a recent report, Chinese pink dolphins/Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins are making a comeback in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE).

  • According to a recent report, Chinese pink dolphins/Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins are making a comeback in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE).
  • Dolphins use echolocation to find their way in the water.
  • The ships often disturb them in finding their way and even kill them.
  • However, dolphin numbers in the waters between Hong Kong and Macau have seen a rebound in 2020 because Covid-19 pandemic has stopped ferries and hence reduced their traffic.
  • The number of pink dolphins in the waters has roughly increased by a third according to scientists.
  • Pearl River Estuary
    • It includes Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland Chinese cities of Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan. 
    • The Pearl River Delta is the low-lying area which surrounds the PRE where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea.
    • The Delta is one of the world’s most densely urbanized, heavily industrialized and busiest shipping lanes on Earth.
    • Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin
  • Scientific Name: Sousa Chinese’s.
  • Habitat: Coastal waters of the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
  • The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has seen a decline in their numbers in the past 15 years by 70-80%.
  • Threats: (1) Agricultural, industrial, and urban pollution; (2) Overfishing; (3) Marine construction; (4) Transport; (5) Selling into captivity at marine entertainment parks and aquariums
  • IUCN Status: Vulnerable.

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