Why are Pink Dolphins Endangered

Pink Dolphins, also popularly known as Boto, Bouto or Amazon River Dolphin have bodies that are adapted to the Amazon river and have the Amazon Rainforest as their habitat. They are also commonly found in the streams and main rivers of the Orinoco River systems, the upper Madeira River in South America and Honk Kong's Pearl River. Pink dolphins belong to the genus Inea with Inia Geoffrensis as their scientific name, and are not same as the dolphins seen in the oceans. Instead, these are the most popular of the five dolphin species that are river inhabitants and are distantly related to ocean dolphins (belong to different families).

Most of the pink dolphins are pink, however, their color can vary from pink, murky brown, creamy white to blue gray and gray. They are gray when born and turn pink as they become mature. Scientists do not exactly know why these dolphins are pink. However, they believe that the pink coloration can be credited to the dolphin's diet comprising of crabs and shell fish, which have a red pigment in their muscle tissues. As time progresses, the pigment gets built in the skin of the dolphin and imparts pink coloration to the skin. The presence of a large number of blood capillaries near the surface of the dolphin's skin can also be another reason. This is why when dolphins get excited they become all pink, just as if they were blushing.

Why are Pink Dolphins Endangered

Pink dolphins are the last of the five other river dolphin species, as the others are almost practically extinct. As recorded by Brazilian scientists, their numbers have declined greatly since 2000. Researchers believe that these species are declining at the rate of 10% per year. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, an international organization based in Gland, Switzerland has listed them under the endangered species category. Pink dolphins have been inhabitants of the Amazon River for centuries. However, degradation of the river's environment has endangered this awesome species. The different reasons that have contributed to pink dolphin's verge of extinction are:

Humans, the Greatest Enemy: Pink dolphins do not have any natural enemy. They are known to have a brain capacity 40% larger than humans, have lived in harmony with the Amazon people for centuries and are the friendliest of the dolphin species. There are several stories of dolphins helping drowning people and pushing them to the shore. However, these wonderful creatures do not get this friendly gesture in return. Urban and economic development, water pollution, etc., have made this dolphin's survival difficult.

River Contamination: Increasing contamination levels in the Amazon River spearheaded the risk of their extinction. Gold mines require mercury for their mining processes and then discarded as waste into the rivers. The increased level of mercury contamination has led to large number of pink dolphin deaths due to water pollution.

River Traffic: Pink dolphins are creatures of curiosity and approach vessels in the rivers. Many a times they are hit by the vessel's propellers and rendered hurt. The overload of boats in the rivers makes the risk of dolphins being hit very high. The noise pollution caused by the boats and vessels has resulted in the production of a disorienting phenomenon in the dolphin's navigation system, which has resulted in the death of many.

Destruction of the Tropical Rainforest: Humans are destroying the pink dolphin's natural habitat, which is the South American tropical rainforest. This loss of habitat and destruction of the rainforest ecosystem is forcing them into extinction.

Dam Construction: The government's plan to build several hydro-electric dams in the Amazon region has added to the fears of pink dolphin's becoming extinct. Hydro-electric dams are dangerous because their construction results in the isolation or divide of the dolphin groups. It will lead to two sets of dolphin populations on either side of the dam, thereby resulting in lower breeding rate.

Entangled in Fish Nets: A large number of dolphins get caught in fishing nets and lose their lives. Getting accidentally entangled in fishing nets is the most common reason for dolphin mortality. Gill nets used by commercial fishermen are the ones that are highly dangerous for the lives of the dolphins. Fishermen commonly view dolphins as competitors to their fish and moreover a nuisance. According to the fishermen, these dolphins get stuck in their nets and eat all their fish, which is why they kill them.

Dolphin Flesh as Fish Bait: The indiscriminate capture of dolphins for fish bait has ignited the extinction of this species. Dr. Vera da Silva, a biologist at the National Institute of Amazonian Research in Manaus, said that the adoption of fishing techniques from Colombia has resulted in this tragedy. She also adds that the number of dolphin's mutilated bodies with missing fins is on the rise (only the fins are used as fish bait). People are so barbaric that they even carve their names on the dolphin's backs and puncture their bodies for sadistic pleasure.

Various volunteer programs and societies like the International Society for the Preservation of the Tropical Rainforest (ISPTR) have dedicated themselves to the novel cause of saving these pink, friendly dolphins. However, it is the responsibility of each one of us to live and let live! We cannot continue living such selfish lives. We must be drawn by a concern for other inhabitants of this planet as well.