White Yangtze Dolphin May Be Extinct - AP

[Eugene]

White Yangtze Dolphin May Be Extinct
Search for rare white Yangtze dolphin ends in failure,
declaration of extinction

BEIJING, Dec. 13, 2006
By CHARLES HUTZLER Associated Press Writer

(AP) An expedition searching for a rare Yangtze River dolphin ended Wednesday
without a single sighting and with the team's leader saying one of the world's
oldest species was effectively extinct.

The white dolphin known as baiji, shy and nearly blind, dates back some 20
million years. Its disappearance is believed to be the first time in a half-
century, since hunting killed off the Caribbean monk seal, that a large aquatic
mammal has been driven to extinction.

A few baiji may still exist in their native Yangtze habitat in eastern China
but not in sufficient numbers to breed and ward off extinction, said August
Pfluger, the Swiss co-leader of the joint Chinese-foreign expedition.

"We have to accept the fact, that the Baiji is functionally extinct. We lost the
race," Pfluger said in a statement released by the expedition. "It is a tragedy,
a loss not only for China, but for the entire world. We are all incredibly sad."

-snip-

Full article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/13/ap/tech/mainD8M00Q6O0.shtml

[wakeme2008]

1. probably related to the pink Amazon dolphin which

are still OK. Uggggglllly but OK :)

[OneBlueSky]

2. I can't think of anything more tragic that species extinction . . .

and what it portends for the future of our own species and the planet we all share . . .

[phantom power]

3. 20 million years. Gone.

[Javaman]

7. Pfft, humanity in it's current form has only been here, give or take,

100,000 years and we are going to kill ourselves. At least the dolphin had a good long run. We never got out of the starting blocks.

yes, this is a snark.

[Double T]

4. This is a worldwide disgrace and bodes of the future of living creatures........

on this planet. Mankind's lack of respect for other living creatures and his own environment will ultimately lead to his own demise and extinction.....sooner then later.

[kestrel91316]

5. They weren't good for anything anyway. So this is a good thing. Now

they can pollute the Yangtze to their hearts' content.

Score another one for the great and mighty HUMANS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pansypoo53219]

6. did they

eat them all?

[Strelnikov_]

8. ":So Long, Been Good To Know Yuh . . .

An' I've got to be driftin' along."