The unique freshwater dolphin was killed off by a combination of overfishing, habitat loss, and being hit by boats. The dolphin, also called the ‘baiji’, and known in China as the ‘goddess of the Yangtze’, is believed to be the first large mammal made extinct by human destruction of it’s habitat; sandbars dredged and river made into canals.

A six nation science survey has travelled 2,200 km along the Yangtze but has failed to find any dolphins. If there are any Yangtze river dophin left, they are the lone survivors and the species cannot recover. The 1997 survey only saw 13 dolphin, none have been seen since.

“The Baiji is functionally extinct. We might have missed one or two animals but it won’t survive in the wild,” said August Pfluger, a Swiss economist turned naturalist who helped put together the expedition. “We are all incredibly sad.”

The dolphin was the only member of an entire evolutionary branch and is the first cetacean (whales, dolphin and porpoise) to become extinct in modern times.

Another species, the Yangtze finless porpoise, is also considered on the verge of extinction with a population of less than 400 animals.

More info: http://www.baiji.org

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‘Well I think that next century, and the things we are talking about now, will be much worse …  so if I’m asked if I am an optimist or a pessimist I say optimist!, and then I add on behalf of the 22nd century, ha ha.’ - From a conversation in 1997 with Arne Naess and Kit-Fai.

Jon Sumby

One of the World’s oldest species, the Yangtze river dolphin, has been declared extinct.