AN INTRODUCTION TO RIVER DOLPHIN SPECIES - Biology, Evolution and Conservation of River Dolphins Within South America and Asia - page 20

The Ganges River dolphin is listed as endangered by the IUCN and has been listed in the
Indian Wildlife protection act of 1972.
Taxonomy: of Platanista gangetica gangetica
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Odontoceti ―toothed whales‖
Family: Platanistidae (South Asian river dolphin)
Genus: Platanista
Species: Platanista gangetica (Roxburgh, 1801)
Subspecies: Platanista gangetica gangetica (Roxburgh, 1801)
Lipotes vexillifer (Baiji, Yangtze River Dolphin)
The baiji ( Lipotes vexillifer ), an endemic species in China, was once abundant in the
Yangtze River, Qiantang River and Poyang and Dongting Lakes (Zhou et al., 1977). This
blueish-gray (dorsal area) and white (ventral side) river dolphin has a long narrow beak like
other river dolphins, small eyes, and average adult lengths of 2.3 m and 2.5 m for males and
females respectively (Figure 9). Sadly, rising anthropogenic pressures from a human
population now in excess of 400 million living within the Yangtze River watershed have
taken its toll on the baiji (see Wang and Zhao's chapter 19). An influx of human sewage,
construction explosives and mining have degraded the baiji's habitat. This along with
overfishing and illegal fishing has led to a decline in fish production within the Yangtze River
system (Wang et al., 2006; Wei et al., 2007) and concomitantly, a reduction in the abundance
of baiji prey. Unselective fishing methods including the use of rolling hooks, electrofishing
gear and gillnets have had direct and dire consequences for the baiji as well. Even as their
numbers declined precipitously, Yangtze River dolphins continued to be entangled in fishing
gear (Turvey et al., 2007). A rise in commerce transport to support a burgeoning human
population presented other threats to Lipotes vexillifer through boat collisions and boat noise
(Wang et al., 2006). The negative direct and indirect effects of these rising anthropogenic
factors on the baiji are indicated by baiji population surveys conducted in the 1950s, 1970s,
1980s, and 1990s that document that their population dropped from 6,000 to 13 individuals
(Chen et al., 1993; Yang et al., 2000). The last survey conducted in 2006 did not observe any
animals (Barrett et al., 2006; Turvey et al., 2007). Anecdotal evidence suggests that at least
one baiji was still alive in 2007, but more than likely, this species is either extinct or soon to
be extinct. The IUCN has listed the baiji as critically endangered.
Wang and Zhao's chapter 19 as well as Turvey's chapter 20 discusses the development of
conservation measures and failed attempts to save the baiji from extinction. River refuges and
protection stations were established along with a captive breeding program to no avail. A
critical analysis of the baiji recovery program may prove to be helpful for the conservation of
cetaceans such as the Yangtze finless porpoise.