Perilous Times
Amazon river dolphins near extinction
The pink dolphins of the Amazon are being threatened with extinction as
fishermen kill them to use their flesh as bait.
By Harriet Alexander and Rebecca Lefort
Published: 4:07PM BST 25 Jul 2010
A pair of Boto, or Amazon river dolphins in Rio Negro, Amazonia, Brazil
Photo: Kevin Schafer / Barcroft
Scientists believe that 1,500 dolphins are being killed annually in the
western Amazon to fuel a lucrative trade in catfish, which feeds on
dead animals.
"The population of the river dolphins will collapse if these fishermen
are not stopped from killing them," said Vera da Silva, the top aquatic
mammals expert at the government's Institute of Amazonian Research.
"We've been studying an area of 27,000 acres for 17 years, and of late
the population is dropping seven per cent each year."
The dolphins, which can be eight feet long and weigh the same amount as
an adult man, are the largest of four species known to exist in South
America and Asia. The cause of their pinkish hue is debated, with some
scientists saying it is due to blood vessels being close to the skin
and others citing scarring as the reason for their colouring.
Killing dolphins is illegal in Brazil, and punishable by a year and a
half in prison. But enforcement of the law is almost impossible. Less
than five agents are tasked with protecting wildlife in a jungle region
covering the western two-thirds of Amazonas state, which is more than
twice the size of Texas.
And given the financial incentive, it seems that it is a crime worth
committing.
From the flesh of one carcase, fishermen can catch up to 500 kilograms
of the catfish known as piracatinga. They can sell the piracatinga for
30 pence per kilogram, translating into £300 for two nights' work –
about double Brazil's monthly minimum wage.
"This is a developing problem over the last few years which we're
extremely worried about," said Mark Simmonds, the director of science
for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
"All the river dolphins in the various river systems are very
vulnerable. The Chinese river dolphin is functionally extinct, and with
human populations spreading out into the Amazon we fear the Amazon
river dolphin will go the same way.
"This is a serious threat and needs urgent action."
But the Brazilian government has so far proved unable to halt the
killing.
"It's a matter of priority, and right now the government is focusing on
deforestation," said Andrey Silva, from the Brazilian Institute of
Environment and Renewable Natural Resources.
"The killings of these dolphins exists – it's a fact."
Wendy Elliott, the WWF's species manager for whales and dolphins, said
that the Brazilian authorities should be doing more to protect the
animals.
"This is an illegal activity, so there does need to be some enforcement
and we would encourage the government to increase this," she said.
"We are encouraging fishermen to use alternative techniques, and buyers
to only buy catfish that is dolphin-friendly.
"River dolphins are really fascinating creatures that much of the world
has overlooked. They are very special."
Antonio Miguel Migueis, a dolphin researcher with the Federal
University of Western Para, said that the government has been warned
several times of the threat.
But with a catalogue of environmental concerns competing with huge
socio-economic challenges, the issue of dolphin protection has slipped
down the agenda.
"It's attracting a lot of poor people to this region to kill the
dolphins and make easy money," said Mr Migueis.
Dr da Silva explains that one difficulty is that the killing occurs at
night in the flooded forest, so is difficult to detect. Another is that
the men involved often threaten the lives of anyone who tries to stop
them.
The plight of the river dolphin is even more serious given their
already-dwindling numbers. An increase in boat traffic has hit the
population hard, as the naturally inquisitive creatures draw close to
boats and are injured by the propellers.
Rising mercury levels in the water are also thought to have contributed
to their decline, especially near gold mines where mercury is used as
part of the mining process. Some of the creatures also die after
becoming entangled in fishing lines.
But their almost mythical reputation in the Amazon region makes their
slaughter even harder to understand.
Legend has it that the dolphin, known as a Boto, turns into a handsome
man by night who seduces girls, impregnates them, and then returns to
the river in the morning. Local folklore says that it is bad luck to
kill a dolphin, and that if a person makes eye-contact with one of the
animals, they will have nightmares for life.
Yet it seems that mythical promises pale in the face of harsh economic
reality.
"Killing the dolphins is a fast and easy way for the fisherman to make
money. It costs nothing but time," Dr Vera da Silva said.
"One thing in our favour is that the harpooning is carried out by a
small minority of the local people, and most are vehemently opposed to
it.
"It's ugly because these dolphins have a folkloric value in the Amazon,
and all that is disappearing for the sake of using them as bait."