A rare dolphin, the Yangtze Panda or Yangtze Goddess, has been discovered in China, which was officially considered extinct since 2007. The animal was spotted in the waters of the Yangtze in Anhui province, Xina Xinwen reports. /epochtimes.ru/
The dolphin was spotted on October 4 by a non-governmental expedition of 20 people who observed the waters of the Yangtze for more than two weeks. The publication reported its appearance only on Friday, October 7.
According to eyewitnesses, the dolphin jumped out of the water at a distance of 200–300 meters from the researchers’ boat. It was not possible to photograph it, but the expedition members insist that it was precisely a Chinese river dolphin. Data about him were transferred to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which will search for him.
The rare animal is found only in the waters of the Yangtze. According to scientists, the dolphin migrated to the river from Pacific Ocean more than 20 million years ago. In total, 4 species of river dolphins are known in the world.
The Chinese river dolphin has a light bluish-gray color and a white belly. Its body length reaches 1.4–2.5 m, weight - 42–167 kg. Females are larger than males. The dorsal fin resembles a flag.
The Yangtze Panda dolphin came under state protection in 1975, and a ban on its hunting appeared in 1983. Attempts to keep dolphins in captivity ended in their death. In 2007, this species of animal was officially declared extinct.
Other species of river dolphins
There are 4 species of river dolphins in the world, one of which, the La Plata dolphin, lives in rivers and the ocean. The remaining three species live in freshwater bodies. River dolphins are on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss, small populations, and human hunting. In addition, river dolphins have small eyes and extremely poor vision, which is the reason for numerous collisions with people and artificial objects.
Amazonian dolphins live in the Amazon and its tributaries in Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Northern Peru. Its population is more stable; it is considered the most prosperous among river dolphins. Adult dolphins reach a length of 1.24–2.5 m and weigh 98.5–207 kg; females are noticeably smaller than males. Adults are very light-colored, with a pinkish or pale blue back and a white belly. Presumably, there are tens of thousands of Amazonian dolphins in the world.
The Gangetic species of river dolphins lives in the rivers of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. This dolphin differs most sharply from other species of dolphins. Its body length is 2–2.6 m, weight - up to 90 kg; females are larger than males. Instead of a dorsal fin there is a triangular hump. Dolphins are dark gray in color, sometimes almost black. According to observational data, the dolphin population density is 0.7–1.36 individuals per kilometer.
La Plata dolphins live in rivers and the ocean. They have a body length of 1.25–1.74 m; weight - 20–61 kg. Females are slightly larger than males. The color is gray, lighter on the sides and belly. This species of dolphin is found in the coastal waters of the east coast South America, as well as at the mouth of La Plata. La Plata dolphins are very quiet and secretive; monitoring them is difficult. They do not display the usual acrobatic abilities of dolphins. Their exact number is unknown, presumably 42 thousand individuals.
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The Chinese river (lake) dolphin is one of the rarest species of mammals on our planet. Life cycle This type of animal is very short. People first started talking about it in 1918, found in Lake Dongting. And already in 2006, without finding a single individual, river dolphins were declared an extinct species. A year later, according to an eyewitness and according to filmed video material, it was possible to record one mammal in the longest river of our mainland, the Yangtze, where in last years These dolphins have found their final resting place. Since 2017, the China Extinct Animal Commission (ECEC) has declared the species extinct.
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Appearance This is a light bluish-gray dolphin with a white belly. Body length 1.4-2.5 m, weight - 42-167 kg. Females are larger than males. The pectoral fins are wide, as if cut off at the end. The dorsal fin is of medium height, gently sloping, located slightly behind the middle of the body. Exposed from the water, it resembles a flag. The blowhole is oval, shifted to the left.
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A special feature of this species is its narrow and very long rostrum, reminiscent of a crane’s beak. The lower jaw is white, the upper jaw has a white edge. It has thirty-four above and thirty-six below pairs of teeth. The eyes of the lake dolphin are greatly reduced, located high on the head; vision is very weak. River dolphin - an animal with a “beak”
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Distribution and nutrition It was distributed in the central-eastern part of China in the river. Yangtze and lower reaches of the river. Qiantan, as well as in lakes Dongting and Poyang. Rarely observed below Nanjing; only 1 time in the Shanghai area. They stay at the mouths of tributaries, near islands and in shallow waters, in muddy water, where vision is practically useless. Therefore, these dolphins have very poor vision and rely mainly on echolocation. In the Yangtze, lake dolphins swim into shallow waters only to hunt fish. The Chinese river dolphin hunts mainly for mollusks and small fish, eels and catfish.
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Lifestyle Diurnal; at night they rest in areas with slow currents. Dives for only 10-20 seconds. By nature, the river dolphin is secretive and timid.
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Reproduction Reproduction is practically not studied. Apparently it is seasonal. Peak breeding occurs between February and April. Pregnancy is expected to last up to 11 months. The female brings one cub 80-90 cm long once every 2 years. It is known that lake dolphin calves are very weak and practically cannot swim, so at first the female holds them with flippers, which has also been observed in a number of other cetaceans. The duration of lactation is unknown; Dolphins reach sexual maturity between 3 and 8 years. Life expectancy is unknown.
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Population status The Chinese river dolphin is one of the rarest mammals on Earth. Since 1996, its status in the International Red List is “critically endangered”. Before 1900, its population was estimated at 3000-5000 individuals; in 1980 - 400; in 1990 - 200. In 2007, Chinese river dolphins were officially declared an endangered species.
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Extermination According to paleontological excavations, river dolphins migrated to the Yangtze from the Pacific Ocean about 20,000 years ago. Their first mention dates back to the Han Dynasty. Traditionally, dolphins were protected by custom as they were considered river deities (長江女神) by the ancient Chinese; natural enemies they do not have. Modern anthropogenic pressure, including accidental and poaching catches, deaths from collisions with river vessels, and the construction of hydroelectric power stations, which interfere with seasonal migration, have caused severe damage to the dolphin population. Other factors in the decline in numbers were severe chemical and noise pollution of the Yangtze, the construction of dams and dams that prevent migration, land drainage, dredging and a reduction in food supply. The greatest blow to the population of river dolphins was caused by the construction of the Sanxia Dam, which changed the hydrological regime of the Yangtze. type
The Chinese river dolphin (Lipotesvexillifer) is a freshwater mammal that lives in the Yangtze River. This animal is considered by the Chinese to be the property of the nation.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that hunting for them has been prohibited since 1982 and due to the adoption of various measures to protect this species, the population of the Chinese river dolphin is on the verge.
Back in 1996, the records of this dolphin in the Red Book were supplemented with a notification about the criticality of the extinction situation. Research scientists conducted a number of studies and counted the number of individuals from only five to thirteen. Chinese river dolphins cannot reproduce in captivity and, judging by forecasts, this species will completely disappear from the face of the planet in about ten years. Not long ago there was information that an official statement by Chinese scientists in August 2007 spoke of the gratuitous loss of the rarest of species dolphins, namely the Chinese river dolphin. And now, in more recent information, scientists from the Middle Kingdom declare that not all is lost. They suggest that individuals of a rare species of dolphin still remain in the Yangtze River and will soon be discovered.
It is known that in 2006, Chinese scientists, in collaboration with foreign colleagues, have repeatedly tried to detect and track this white dolphin with a flag-shaped fin on its back in the waters of long river China. Unfortunately, the searches of scientists did not bring results, and soon after the completion of research in 2007, this mammal species was officially declared almost extinct. Such statements were based on the fact that the population of Chinese river dolphins is so small that they are unlikely to reproduce with the efficiency that could remove this species from the red list.
Despite this, it is still possible that one or two more river dolphins could be found in the depths of the Yangtze River, according to one Wang Kexion, chief deputy captain of the team actively searching for the animal. “We always look to the future with great hope and faith in a miracle when a Chinese river dolphin will finally be discovered in captivity,” he added.
So, in 2004, the latest evidence that this rarest species still exists, there was an event in which the body of a river dolphin was found on the banks of the Yangtze. After which the mammal was included in the list of the twelve rarest species in China that are in danger of extinction. Let us recall that the Chinese river dolphin belongs to the suborder of toothed whales from the representatives of the group of river dolphins.
It was first discovered in 1918 in Lake Dongting, a province of China. This is a freshwater mammal white similar to a fin appearance with a flag, for which locals used to call him “baiji” or “flag bearer”. The external dimensions of the Chinese river dolphin are small for this species, the length is about 1.4 to 2.5 meters, and the weight is from 42 to 167 kilograms. Typically females are slightly larger than males.
This species is characterized by an unusual, very long and narrow rostrum, which is curved upward and is similar to a crane’s beak. The river dolphin has very poor vision, the eyes are located at the very top of the head and are greatly reduced.
As a result of their research, scientists were able to identify some information about the lifestyle of this freshwater species. The river dolphin prefers to stay near the mouths, as well as near islands at the shallow level in muddy water. For him, vision does not play a role as much as the main coordinators of the dolphin are echo location, like those of his other brothers. It prefers to hunt in shallow waters for fish during the day and rest in areas with weak currents at night. In addition to fish, the river dolphin's diet also includes crabs, eels and shellfish.
Chinese river dolphins swim preferably in pairs, which can form groups of 3-16 individuals. This animal is able to hold its breath for ten to twenty seconds. According to eyewitnesses, the wounded river dolphin makes sounds similar to the cry of a calf. The character of the dolphin is very secretive and timid; he is very careful about what is happening. The Chinese river dolphin is protected by the state's endangered species laws.
Based on materials from profi-forex.org
. Family of river dolphins consists of Amazonian, Chinese, Gangetic and Lapland river dolphins. Unfortunately for everyone, Chinese river dolphins it was not possible to save: in 2012 the animals were given the status of “extinct”.
Biologists believe that the reason for their extinction lies in poaching activities, the discharge of substances of chemical origin into water bodies, violations natural ecosystem(construction of dams, dams). Animals could not live in artificial conditions, therefore science does not know many of the nuances of their existence.
Description and features of the river dolphin
Amazon river dolphin a real record holder among members of the river dolphin family: the body weight of river inhabitants is from 98.5 to 207 kg, and maximum length body about 2.5 m.
Pictured is an Amazonian river dolphin
Due to the fact that animals can be colored in light and dark shades of grey, sky or even pink color they are also called white river dolphins And pink river dolphins.
The shade of the lower part (belly) is several tones lighter than the color of the body. The snout is elongated, slightly bent to the bottom, its shape resembles a beak, the forehead is rounded and steep. On the beak there are hairs with a rigid structure, which are designed to perform a tactile function. Eyes are colored yellow, and their diameter does not exceed 1.3 cm.
There are 104-132 teeth in the oral cavity: those located in the front are cone-shaped and are designed for grasping prey, the rear ones are stocky, for performing the chewing function.
The fin on the back of the Amazonian river dolphin replaces the crest, the height of which ranges from 30 to 61 cm. The fins are large and wide. Animals are capable of performing jumps over 1 m in height.
The Gangetic dolphin (susuk) is dark gray in color, gradually turning into gray on the abdominal cavity. Length – 2-2.6 m, weight – 70-90 kg. The type of fins is not much different from Amazonian fins.
The snout is elongated, the approximate number of teeth is 29-33 pairs. Tiny eyes are unable to see, and perform a tactile function. Ghanaian dolphins are listed as endangered on the Red List because their population is very small.
Pictured is a Ganges river dolphin
The length of Laplatan dolphins is 1.2 -1.75 m, weight - 25-61 kg. The length of the beak is approximately one sixth of the length of the body. The number of teeth is 210-240 pieces. The peculiarity of this species lies in its color, which has brown tint, and these are also characterized by hairs that fall out as they grow older. The fins resemble triangles in appearance. The length of the fin located on the back is 7-10 cm.
River dolphins They have very poor eyesight, but despite this, they are perfectly oriented in a body of water thanks to excellent hearing and echolocation abilities. Among the river inhabitants cervical vertebrae are not connected to each other, which allows them to turn their head at right angles to their body. Dolphins can reach speeds of up to 18 km/h; under normal conditions they swim at a speed of 3-4 km/h.
The time spent under the water column ranges from 20 to 180 s. Among the sounds produced, one can distinguish clicking, high-pitched squealing, barking, and whining. Sounds are used by dolphins to communicate with relatives, as well as for the purpose of echolocation.
River dolphin lifestyle and habitat
IN daytime days river dolphins are active, and when night falls they go to rest in areas of the reservoir where the current speed is much lower than in places where they spend their daytime stay.
Where do river dolphins live?? Amazonian habitat river dolphins are big rivers South America (Amazon, Orinoco), as well as their tributaries. They are also found in lakes and places near waterfalls (upstream or downstream).
During long droughts, when the water level in reservoirs drops greatly, they live in large rivers, if there is plenty of water due to the rainy season, they can be found in narrow channels, or in the middle of a flooded forest or plain.
Ghanaian dolphins are common in deep rivers(Ganges, Hunli, Brahmaputra), as well as in the rivers of Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. During daylight hours it dives to a depth of 3 meters, and under the cover of darkness it goes to shallow depths in search of prey.
The habitats of Laplatan dolphins can be rivers and seas. They live near the eastern coast of South America, at the mouth of La Plata. Basically, river dolphins live in pairs or small schools, which consist of no more than a dozen individuals. If food is plentiful, dolphins can create schools several times larger.
River dolphin feeding
They also feed on mollusks (and squid). The rivers in which dolphins live are very muddy; the animals use echolocation to find food.
White river dolphins use their snout to catch fish and also use it as a tool to extract shellfish from the bottom of the reservoir. For prey they go to sections of the river with shallow depths.
They prefer to hunt alone or in small groups. Dolphins take the fish with their front teeth, and then move it to the back teeth, which grind the head first and only after the animal swallows it, crush the remaining part. Large prey is torn into pieces, first biting off the head.
Reproduction and lifespan of the river dolphin
Puberty in river dolphins occurs around the age of 5 years. Pregnancy lasts for 11 months. After the baby is born, the female immediately pushes him out of the water so that he takes his first breath.
The body length of the cub is 75-85 cm, weight is about 7 kg, the body is light colored grey colour. Soon after the birth of the offspring, the males return to the rivers, and the females and their offspring remain in place (in channels or valleys that were flooded after the water level rose).
Pictured is a baby river dolphin
By giving preference to such places, females protect their offspring from lack of food, predators, and also from aggressive actions on the part of strange males. The offspring stays close to the mother until about 3 years of age.
There are often cases when a female, without completing the lactation process, becomes pregnant again. The interval between matings can be from 5 to 25 months. live river dolphins no more than 16 - 24 years old.
The family of River dolphins is the most ancient in the suborder Toothed whales. Initially, its representatives lived in the ocean, but later stronger competitors and numerous enemies forced them out into freshwater rivers.
general characteristics
The river dolphin, when compared with its sea relatives, is more primitive. The brain has fewer convolutions. Short and wide pectoral fins, the absence of a dorsal fin (instead there is an elongated crest), a very narrow snout, a long symphysis of the lower jaw - all these are features of its ancient ancestors, squalodonts.
The free arrangement of the cervical vertebrae allows river dolphins to turn their heads 90° relative to their body. They feed on fish, shellfish and worms, which they catch not only in water. Using a snout covered with a layer of hard tactile hairs, they are able to sense prey in the depths of the muddy bottom and dig it out. Unlike touch, their vision, on the contrary, is quite weak. But the hearing and echolocation apparatuses are very developed. It is with their help that river dolphins receive information about the world around them.
If we talk about the habitat, then it can be called relict and broken. The family is represented by two monotypic genera inhabiting the tropical rivers of South America, and two genera inhabiting the rivers of India and China. Next, we will consider the species of river dolphins discovered by zoologists today.
Amazonian inia, or buto
First detailed description The Amazonian inia was given by the French scientist D'Orbigny, who, traveling around Peru, was able to catch this animal and study its appearance.
The length of the inia's body can reach 3 meters, and its weight can reach 70 kg. It lives in the Amazon, Rio Negro, and Orinoco basins. This dolphin can be called a real freshwater whale. It is slow (moving speed does not exceed 10 km/h); its echolocation apparatus and sensitive snout help it navigate in muddy water. Main type of food - small fish. This river dolphin often comes to the surface to breathe in oxygen. Inias live only in small communities, no more than 5-6 individuals.
The muzzle is very elongated, blunt at the end and covered with bristles, and looks very much like a beak. There are 66-68 teeth on the upper and lower jaws. They are very sharp, and the crowns are large and curved back. The semilunar shape of the flippers, the division of the caudal fin into blades, and the low location of the adipose fin are typical features of the Amazonian ini. Top part her body is pale blue in color and her underside is colored reddish pink. Elderly dolphins can be almost white. Therefore, the inia is often called the “white river dolphin.”
Why don't the natives hunt the Amazon Ini?
The natives never pursue the ini. The reason for this is that the meat is not firm and almost complete absence fat Another thing is that there are many mysterious stories associated with them. According to one of them, the Amazonian Inia is actually an evil sorceress who can take the form of a young beautiful woman with long curly locks. In this form, she lures inexperienced, gullible youths in order to then destroy them. According to local residents, she takes to the streets of Aigues to find another victim. And when she captivates a man with her beauty, she takes him to the river bank. There she takes the victim into her arms, emits a loud cry and disappears along with her admirer into the watery depths.
The fat from these river dolphins can be used in combustion lamps, but no one does this. There is a belief that a person who decides to take such a step will go blind or some kind of misfortune will happen to him.
Pliny's discovery
The ancient naturalist Pliny was the first to describe another species of river dolphin - the Gangetic dolphin (susuku). And although there was a lot of inaccurate information in his descriptions, since he saw susuk only in water, it was this scientist who first drew attention to characteristic features animal. Pliny's main misconception was information about the body length of the Gangetic dolphin. According to him, it reached 7 meters. In fact, it is no more than 2 meters.
External structure and lifestyle of susuk
This animal of the River dolphin family has a very slender body, a semi-lunar dorsal fin divided into two lobes, a long, thin, beak-shaped muzzle slightly raised upward, which has the same width along its entire length. A typical feature is the presence of a ridge on the upper jaw surrounding long, narrow, side-by-side nostrils. Instead of a dorsal fin there is only a small fold of skin. On the upper part of the body the skin is grayish-black, and on the lower part it is grayish-white.
Susuk lives in river basins South-East Asia, in particular in the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus. In an experiment conducted by a biologist named Anderson, who kept the Gangetic dolphin in captivity for 10 days, it turned out that representatives of this species rise to the surface of the water very often (every 30 seconds), but only for a moment, because in order to take a breath, a split second is enough for them.
They feed mainly on fish and crayfish. Presumably, the pregnancy lasts 8-9 months, one calf is born, which for a long time remains under the care of its mother, clinging to its dorsal fin with its muzzle.
Dolphins are caught extremely rarely, mainly for their meat. Indian women experiencing difficulties with childbearing eat it especially willingly. According to legend, this helps to get pregnant and safely bear a child. Pilgrims and monks, on the contrary, consider this animal sacred and feed it with their own hands.
Chinese lake dolphin
This species of animal became known in 1918, when a dolphin, different from previously discovered and already studied species, was first discovered in the waters of freshwater Lake Dongting in China. The body length was about 2 meters, weight - more than 120 kg. The dorsal part is gray, towards the belly the color becomes lighter and turns white. The pectoral fins are quite wide, and their free end seems to be chopped off. Vision is very poor. These dolphins usually swim in schools of 3-4 individuals, and in rare cases - of 10-12. The dorsal fin has a characteristic shape, resembling a flag sticking out of the water. The dolphin feeds on eels, catfish, and mollusks, catching prey from the silt.
Laplatan river dolphin
Of all the representatives of its family, this is the least specialized species in structure and lifestyle. It can live in both rivers and seas. The body of males reaches approximately 155 cm in length, while the body of females is slightly longer and can reach 170 cm. Body weight is small: from 28 to 35 kilograms. The cubs are born very small: approximately 45 cm in length. Thus, these are the smallest river dolphins. Where do Laplatan dolphins live? They inhabit the mouth of the La Plata River and the coastal waters of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina (between 30 and 45° S).
Their skin color is pale brown. The snout is very long, the number of teeth varies from 210 to 240. They serve as food different kinds fish (herring, silver mullet, croaker fish), crayfish and cephalopods. The Laplatan river dolphin is very sociable. It is known that individuals very willingly approach fishermen’s boats and make contact with humans.