'Goddess of the Yangtze River' stands on the brink of extinction

The white fin dolphin - dubbed the 'Goddess of the Yangtze River' - is an animal so rare that it is believed to bring fortune, protection to local fishermen and all the lucky ones. see it.

White fin dolphin.

However, overfishing and human activities have pushed them to a high risk of extinction. Many years have passed and no one has seen them.

"The Yangtze River dolphin is a unique and beautiful creature," said Samuel Turvey, a British zoologist and conservationist who has spent more than 20 years researching in China.

'The Yangtze River dolphin belongs to its own family of mammals, which have existed for tens of millions of years. Although there are many other species of river dolphins in the world, this species is so distinct that it is not related to any other group," Turvey said.

'The extinction is not only a tragedy of the species, but also a great loss to the diversity of the river's uniqueness, leaving huge holes in the ecosystem,' he stressed.

Experts fear that other rare native flora and fauna in Asia's longest river will share the same fate as the whitefin dolphin, in the face of changing climates and weather conditions. harsh weather.

Alarming situation

China is struggling to cope with the worst heat wave on record, which means that the Yangtze River is drying up.

Since July, with below-average rainfall, water levels here have dropped to a record low of 50% above normal for the same time of year. That exposed cracked riverbeds and sunken islands.

The Yangtze River is the longest river in China. (Graphic: CNN).

China's most important river, estimated at 6,300 km, stretching from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea near Shanghai has been devastated by drought, affecting water supplies, food, transportation and hydropower for more than 400 million people.

The harm to humans is enormous. Factories had to close to save electricity and water supplies for tens of thousands of people.

According to experts, climate change and extreme weather events have created a negative environment for hundreds of plant and animal species living in and around the river.

Conservation ecologist Hoa Phuong Nguyen, an assistant professor from Peking University, said: 'The Yangtze is a vital river for biodiversity and freshwater ecosystems, so we are still involved in the process. keep discovering new species every year".

'There are many species of fish here, from little known, unknown to other aquatic species, most likely on the verge of extinction silently and we simply don't know them all,' she said. comment.

More endangered creatures

Over the years, conservationists and scientists have identified and tracked hundreds of species of wildlife native to the Yangtze River.

Among them is the Truong Giang finless dolphin, which is in danger of becoming extinct like the white fin dolphin, due to human activities and habitat destruction. The Chinese crocodile or Shanghai softshell turtle - believed to be the largest freshwater turtle in the world, are critically endangered reptiles.

Experts have also noted a dramatic decline in many native freshwater fish species, such as the extinct Chinese sturgeon and sturgeon.

The critically endangered species is the Chinese giant salamander, one of the largest amphibians in the world. Mr Turvey said their living populations had been destroyed and they were "on the verge of extinction".

A Chinese crocodile at the Shanghai Zoo. The number of these animals in the wild is drastically decreasing. (Image: Getty Images).

'Despite being highly protected, the Chinese giant salamander is under greater threat from climate change, specifically as rising global temperatures and drought will inevitably harm a vulnerable species. hurt," he said.

He added: 'They've had to live with threats such as poaching, habitat destruction and pollution for a long time, but when you add to that climate change, their chances of survival are reduced. they are significantly reduced.

This amphibian can only live in freshwater environments and if the water level gets low, it will certainly put more pressure on their numbers across China."

Major nature conservation groups such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) say the current state of the Yangtze River is not only a matter of the Chinese people and government, but also of the international community. economic.

The Chinese sturgeon in the Yangtze River is now extinct. (Image: Getty Images).

"Rivers around the world, from Europe to the US, have hit historic low flows, negatively impacting ecosystems," said scientist Jeff Opperman.

'Reduced river flows and warmer waters in the Yangtze pose a threat to freshwater fauna, increasing pressure on already critically endangered species such as the Truong Giang finless dolphin. Jiang and the Chinese crocodile. Low river levels also affect nearby ponds and wetlands, which are important for the millions of migratory birds along the East Asian Flyway'.

Ms. Phuong Nguyen said that it is necessary to raise public awareness and make more efforts to protect China's great river. 'Humans depend on nature to survive. This is a lesson for all civilizations," she asserted.

She said: 'The Yangtze is the longest river in China and in Asia, it has long been the cradle of human civilization. Despite the severe threats and losses, the Yangtze River still has a lot of biodiversity to conserve'.

The importance and symbolism of this third largest river in the world cannot be denied. However, many experts say that if action is not taken soon, more creatures will fall into the same situation as the whitefin dolphin and the Chinese spoon sturgeon.

"The Changjiang is a jewel of Asia, so we must not give up hope of saving species such as giant salamanders, river reptiles and many others," Mr Turvey said.

"If there is one lesson from the endangered whitefin dolphin, then extinction will be forever and we must not take it lightly," he stressed.