By ACP
Published 2 hours ago, updated 2 hours ago
A dolphin at Lake Téfé. BRUNO KELLY/Portal
The drought is exacerbated by El Niño, a weather phenomenon characterized by an abnormal rise in water temperatures in the eastern Pacific, off the coast of Peru.
The Amazon, the longest and mightiest river in the world, is in the dry season. A macabre discovery was made late last week on one of its tributaries, the Tefé River. At least 102 pink dolphins were found dead in the lake of the same name. “It is still early to determine the cause of this extreme event, but according to our experts it is certainly related to the dry period and high temperatures of Lake Tefé, which in some places exceed 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit).”, explained the Mamirauá Institute, a research center funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science.
According to CNN Brazil, researchers and activists are moving the remaining dolphins from surrounding lagoons and ponds into the river, where the water is cooler. “Relocating river dolphins to other rivers is not very safe because it is important to check whether toxins or viruses are present,” noted André Coelho, researcher at the Mamiraua Institute. A difficult task, especially since the flow of several Amazon tributaries is lower than normal due to extreme weather conditions. In addition, the drought is exacerbated by El Nino, a climate phenomenon characterized by an abnormal rise in water temperatures in the Eastern Pacific, off the coast of Peru.
Also read: The Northern Hemisphere is suffocating under the cumulative effects of global warming and El Niño phenomenon
The pink dolphin is called Boto by the Amazon Indians. According to the beliefs of their ancestors, the animal transforms into a woman at night to lure men to the river. Conversely, he would become a handsome young man to seduce the women remaining in the villages. The species is threatened by deforestation and also by illegal gold panning. There would be 20,000 to 50,000 specimens, reproducing every three to five years.
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