Yangtze River Dolphin

Yangtze River Dolphin

Yangtze

River

Dolphin

is

unique

to

China's

freshwater

cetaceans,

only

produced

in

the

Yangtze

River.

For

various

reasons,

the

number

of

dolphin

populations

dropped

in

2002

is

estimated

to

have

less

than

50

in

the

1980s,

known

as

water

panda.

was

listed

as

a

national protected wild animal, one of the world's most endangered animals, 12 species. August

8,

2007,

Royal

Society

Biological

Stationery

published

in

the

journal

report,

officially

announced the Yangtze River Dolphin extinct.

Yangtze

River

Dolphin

Is

a

Chinese

specialty

small

whale,

the

body

was

spindle,

bare

hairless body skin, there is a constant body temperature, always at about 36

℃

. 1.5-2.5 meters

in length, the maximum length of mature individuals, females 2.5 meters, 2.3 meters male; body

weight

100-150

kg

up

to

230

kg.

Snout

long

and

narrow,

about

30

cm,

slightly

upturned

tip.

Fumaroles lengthwise, on the left top of the head. Eye small, top after altercation. Ears eye of a

needle-like form. Triangular dorsal fin, flippers wide, blunt ends, crescent-shaped tail fin. They

are carnivores, population about 130 sharp teeth, the teeth of the same type. General adult back

of

pale

gray,

ventral

was

clean

white

in

the

sunshine,

especially

bright,

newborns

body

color

slightly darker. Flippers and tail fin horizontally extending upper and lower surfaces, respectively,

with the same color on the back and ventral surface, so the color distribution exactly match the

color

of

the environment. When

looking

down

from

the water,

and

the

back

of

the

gray

river

water mixed into one is difficult to distinguish; when viewed from the bottom to the white belly

and the reflective surface glare similar color it can hardly be found. This makes the Yangtze River

Dolphin escape predators, prey approaching, with hidden natural barrier.

Distribution

Gezhouba Dam upstream from Yichang Three Gorges Area 35 kilometers, until near

Shanghai Yangtze River, Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake, including a total length of 1700 km

river in both Yangtze River Dolphin distribution. But long been influenced by human activity,

and its population size and distribution area is gradually shrinking. Later confined to the

Yangtze River and Dongting Lake in communication therewith, Poyang Lake, the Qiantang

River and other waters, especially following Shashi in Hubei Province, Hunan, Hubei, Anhui

section of the Yangtze River, Jiangsu as much. By the 1990s, Yangtze River Dolphin in the

Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake has disappeared. Limit distribution of the Yangtze River has

also been moved to the downstream Gezhouba near 170 kilometers of Jinzhou. The lower

limit reduction is more serious, near Nanjing had to trace rare. In 1997-1999 the

observations in the downstream near Nanjing, Jiangyin has never again have found the

following. In 2000-2004 several observations, its distribution is mainly confined to the

Dongting Lake Tongling section of the Yangtze River. Mainly gathered in Tongling, Honghu

Lake section and section three areas. Last confirmed found in the wild Yangtze River Dolphin,

is a beached dead body in August 2004 in the Yangtze River in Nanjing found. November

2006 6 - December 13, nearly 40 scientists from Yichang to 1700 one thousand meters River

middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Shanghai carpet search, did not find a

Yangtze River Dolphin, so many scientists suspect that the baiji is extinct . It can be inferred

that the Yangtze River and a small amount of residual, but this alone last few individuals

have been unable to continue the population is expected to Yangtze River Dolphin will be