Is the baiji extinct?

Functional extinction, but not declared extinction in the wild.

In the 1980s, due to various reasons, the population of Baiji dolphin decreased sharply, and it was estimated that there were less than 50 in 2002, so it was known as the "giant panda in water". Baiji dolphin is a family of its own, which is listed as a national first-class wild protected animal and one of the most endangered animals in the world 12. On August 8, 2007, a report was published in the journal of Biological Letterhead of the Royal Society, officially announcing the functional extinction of the baiji.

2018165438+1October 14, the red list of IUCN endangered species was updated and released, and the baiji dolphin was not declared extinct in the wild.

Extended data:

The number of baiji dolphins is decreasing year by year, mainly due to poor reproductive ability and more human activities in the Yangtze River basin. Most cetaceans belonging to Baiji Dolphin migrated to the salt water of the ocean tens of thousands of years ago, and the cetaceans living in the global freshwater basins are small, among which the remaining five species of freshwater dolphins belong to endangered species.

In addition, according to genetic research, the genetic diversity of baiji is very low, which also speeds up the extinction. Therefore, scientists put forward suggestions for ex situ conservation. Because the reclamation around the lake has reduced the lake area, dams have blocked the migration of fish between rivers and lakes, and the water pollution in the Yangtze River has intensified, and many of them have been destroyed. The serious shortage of fish eaten by dolphins destroys the living space of baiji and poses a serious threat to its population survival.

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