Yangtze river dolphin declared extinct

[Miktar]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070808-12120200-bc-china-dolphin.xml


Scientists declared China's Yangtze river dolphin extinct Wednesday after weeks of searching failed to locate even one in 1,000 miles of the busy river.

gg, humanity.

[wisp]

Dolphins are one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet, and yet humans continue to kill them.The are still dying so you can eat tuna (although the official reports deny it),We are still barbarians , savages that are still struggling to rise from the premordeal ooze . The more people i meet the more i love my animals.:(:(:(:(:(:(:(

[Darkmag]

Yeah I read this yesterday, sad news.

[Antharias]

I am not really surprised that this has happened. Humanity destroys things.

[dammit]

They have been declared extinct before...

[Miktar]

They have been declared extinct before...

Url?

And so what?

This just means it's more likely they /are/ extinct.

[dammit]

Url?

And so what?

This just means it's more likely they /are/ extinct.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin




A 2006 survey found no individuals of the Yangtze River dolphin, leading to the conclusion that the species is now functionally extinct.

What i meant is this is not really new news.

[Miktar]

Ah. Well, it's new news to me.

[Garson007]

Yeah... There was this whole debate, on another forum I visit, last year concerning this dolphin and its extinction and how humanity is evil and blah blah blah.

I'm not really all that much of a conservationist, I love animals, I love people, but unless I know them I really wouldn't/shouldn't give a rat's ass. That said extinction of a species is a bit harsher than the death of some kudu, but I still don't -really- care.

[Darkmag]

I love animals, I love people, but unless I know them I really wouldn't/shouldn't give a rat's ass. That said extinction of a species is a bit harsher than the death of some kudu, but I still don't -really- care.

You think as I do, well mostly, I find it kinda sad becuase I don`t want to live in some world where only humans exist I like variety andl I hate urbanization-I find it un attractive and dull- if I could id nuke ever major capital back to the stone age, but other than that i don`t give a rat`s ass

[MrDeVil_909]

This is sad news for me, a few years ago I read Douglas Adam's Last Chance to See. It's a book about when he took a trip around the world with a biologist to see animals on the cusp of extinction. This was one of them.

It is a fantastic book, by turn sad and funny which makes it very poignant. There is an epic tale of trying to buy a condom in China to put a microphone in so they could record the sound of the dolphins environment.

It was ****ing funny, but when they eventually recorded the environment there was so much noise pollution in the water it was just white noise, and the dolphin had to try navigate through it.

[wisp]

but I still don't -really- care.

And that is the problem, ppl dont care ,their ok so F the world , one day when your kids or gran kids ask what was a Dolphin tell them that you don't care i'm sure they will understand

[Darkmag]

their ok so F the world

Im pretty sure he didn`t say that, all he said was, he doesn`t care as long as it doesn`t happen in his backyard ie personally affects him.

[wisp]

Im pretty sure he didn`t say that, all he said was, he doesn`t care as long as it doesn`t happen in his backyard ie personally affects him.

But it affects all of us , i wish ppl would realise that . We have to leave this world intact for future generations to come , if ppl don't about one species that becomes extinct then what chance at the end does our planet have .It will be come a barren , lifeless dustbowl .Saving one species today can make a difference tommorrow . We must look beyond our own backyards and start to think Globally then we can all make a big diffference.If the Elephants all suddenly had to die out for example would that maybe provoke a bigger outcry.

The domino principle is a fact. We will kill our planet if we do not stop killing all that live on it .

[X-Ploding_Shoes]

I've swam with Dolphins. They are beautiful creatures. It's a horrible tradgedy that this specific dolphin species has gone extinct. And its all cause of retarded humans....grrrr
:'(

[Garson007]

Resources exist to be consumed. And consumed they will be, if not by this generation then by some future. By what right does this forgotten future seek to deny us our birthright? None I say! Let us take what is ours, chew and eat our fill.

CEO Nwabudike Morgan
"The Ethics of Greed"

It's from Alpha Centauri for those who haven't played the game. :P

Anyways, I'm not much of a person who looks at generations past our own, maybe it's because I won't have children - maybe not. I do believe in survival of the human species however, but not much that of the other creatures. It's how nature works, if a species can't survive in the world as it is at any one time it must face extinction. It doesn't matter if we brought that onto them, I'm sure lots of other mammals have caused the extinction of others. As it is now, we are the strongest specie with the highest population growth.

Beyond it all though, if the future generations never knew about the dolphin would it really matter to them?

[.dB]

Beyond it all though, if the future generations never knew about the dolphin would it really matter to them?

I never had the pleasure of playing with a Dodo.

[FoX]

in the end only humans and ****roaches will live on the planet. OH and i KNOW for a fact that 63% of all species on this planet will have died out by 2025(becuz of Humans).

and why do i say ****roaches thay are the same as humans thay breed, consume, move on and are hade to get rid of.

[Garson007]

The Dodo is infamous only because it's the one extinction recognised to be orchestrated by mostly humanity alone. Since then many have also died by the hands of humanity, but aren't recognisable to us common folk.

[.dB]

****roaches are awesome.

[.dB]

The Dodo is infamous only because it's the one extinction recognised to be orchestrated by mostly humanity alone. Since then many have also died by the hands of humanity, but aren't recognisable to us common folk.
ur a murder killin animals

peta.org 4 lyfe.

[Garson007]

Yes, hate yourself! CUT CUT CUT!

But seriously, you can't really hate humanity, you after all are human.

[MrDeVil_909]

The problem is that the planet has a balance, and how many other species can we wipe out before it reaches a tipping point?

The Yangtze River Dolphin will have a very minor effect on the planet, but what about sharks or blue-fin tuna that have very important roles in the marine food chain? Both of these are being hunted to extinction, the tuna used now for sushi and tinned tuna are usually adolescent animals because they aren't reaching adulthood.

[Garson007]

I know, the fisher boat companies don't want to make the holes in their nets bigger (I know it has a specific name, can't think of it now) as they will catch less tuna, but only adults then.

Of course, again, humanity has showed a very good adaptability rate up until now due to intellect; I won't be counting our days anytime soon.

[Darkmag]

Well its not just humanity that kills animals, as far as I know theres a bacteria thats busy killing of frogs at an alarming rate.

as for fish the ocean is a pretty huge place and quite easly for a dolphin to hide just like the Coelacanths which was decard extinct in 1930 however there still seen around every so and then, and then there a 100km^2 area were fishing is illegal and dangerous due to heavy nuclear testing.

Yet thousand of species have died off already most famously the DINOSOUR, well excluding them its about 1500+(how many of them do you know?) species that are declard extinct, Quagga , cape lion, dodo, Thylacine,Phororhacos blah blah blah...

but mabye the Quagga project will do some more good in bringing back the dead

[X-Ploding_Shoes]

Yes, hate yourself! CUT CUT CUT!

But seriously, you can't really hate humanity, you after all are human.

Have you ever heard of Misanthropy by any chance?


It's how nature works, if a species can't survive in the world as it is at any one time it must face extinction. It doesn't matter if we brought that onto them, I'm sure lots of other mammals have caused the extinction of others. As it is now, we are the strongest specie with the highest population growth.

Beyond it all though, if the future generations never knew about the dolphin would it really matter to them?

A couple points!
1.) I find it funny how you say this is how nature works and then say it doesn't matter if we brought it on by un-natural means! I agree that if one species isn?t strong enough than it dies off, but it is our problem if where the ones that did it, by either killing them off for food, pleasure or general stupidity. The River Dolphin went extinct due to direct human circumstances, this could have been prevented!

2.) I haven't seen any lions lately with shotguns killing buck for sport. No other animals besides humans directly cause extinctions of other animal species. Extinction in nature occurs due to a change in their eco-system or them being unable to adapt. They are weaker and get eaten, yes. But no specific mammal species went and specifically went and targeted another animal species to exterminate.

3.)Who says we are the strongest? Take away our technology and weapons and put us in an equal playing field as other animals and you will find that we will get eaten very quickly. Almost every other animal has some form of defence, be it claws, sharp teeth or very big horns. Humans have nothing. We have to build weapons in order to defend our selves. Without what we have built for our selves we have nothing..in raw nature we'd die very quickly.

4.)The highest population growth? ha! Ya right? Are you saying there are more humans than a specific species of insects such as, lets say, flies?

5.) You seem not to realise something...say now we cause the extinction of every species of animal in the world besides us? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EAT? We'l have no meat. Without animals the natural spreading of plants will be stunted. Actually this is a good thing. Because we'l start eating other humans...and that will get our numbers down.

[X-Ploding_Shoes]

http://www.conservation.org/English/Pages/default.aspx?KNC-adwords&gclid=CNyvq_7n7Y0CFRddXgoddT7yxw&pageid=clockSlide&USC=True <----- How can anyone be cruel enough to not care about Tigers, or our other beautiful animal species!??? It's not our world! We're just sharing it with every other animal!

[Darkmag]

3.)Who says we are the strongest? Take away our technology and weapons and put us in an equal playing field as other animals and you will find that we will get eaten very quickly. Almost every other animal has some form of defence, be it claws, sharp teeth or very big horns. Humans have nothing. We have to build weapons in order to defend our selves. Without what we have built for our selves we have nothing..in raw nature we'd die very quickly.


Hmm... well human intellect is our weapons, your argument is has good as saying take away the teeth, claws, stealth and strength of lions and you`ll realize that then there pretty much useless.



4.)The highest population growth? ha! Ya right? Are you saying there are more humans than a specific species of insects such as, lets say, flies?

I think he ment animals, seeing as how we are talking about them



5.) You seem not to realise something...say now we cause the extinction of every species of animal in the world besides us? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EAT? We'l have no meat. Without animals the natural spreading of plants will be stunted. Actually this is a good thing. Because we'l start eating other humans...and that will get our numbers down.

how about we breed our food like cattle, chickens, fish like we did for say thousand of years, but yeah even if every animal magicly just died, we could still eat cloned meat.. its unethical but its still meat.

I don`t think you people seem to realise that changing someone beliefs are indeed f%&king hard. so stop trying to change Garson view of things. Its sad that there dying away but only becuase I like variety, and so do many people. wouldn`t it suck if you did the same thing every day did the same thing every day

[Garson007]

Have you ever heard of Misanthropy by any chance?
Yes. I was being ironic. Hating humanity would be the same as hating yourself, which to me is a really sad state of affairs as it makes you unhappy, and being happy is number one on my priority list.


1.) I find it funny how you say this is how nature works and then say it doesn't matter if we brought it on by un-natural means! I agree that if one species isn’t strong enough than it dies off, but it is our problem if where the ones that did it, by either killing them off for food, pleasure or general stupidity. The River Dolphin went extinct due to direct human circumstances, this could have been prevented!

2.) I haven't seen any lions lately with shotguns killing buck for sport. No other animals besides humans directly cause extinctions of other animal species. Extinction in nature occurs due to a change in their eco-system or them being unable to adapt. They are weaker and get eaten, yes. But no specific mammal species went and specifically went and targeted another animal species to exterminate.
We are part of nature, we are also nature; everything we do is natural.


3.)Who says we are the strongest? Take away our technology and weapons and put us in an equal playing field as other animals and you will find that we will get eaten very quickly. Almost every other animal has some form of defence, be it claws, sharp teeth or very big horns. Humans have nothing. We have to build weapons in order to defend our selves. Without what we have built for our selves we have nothing..in raw nature we'd die very quickly.
Technology is part of what we are as humans. The intellect that we have to make use of seemingly useless objects is all natural.


4.)The highest population growth? ha! Ya right? Are you saying there are more humans than a specific species of insects such as, lets say, flies?
Although you are quite right, I assumed that biomass is a more important population growth factor than actual numbers.


5.) You seem not to realise something...say now we cause the extinction of every species of animal in the world besides us? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EAT? We'l have no meat. Without animals the natural spreading of plants will be stunted. Actually this is a good thing. Because we'l start eating other humans...and that will get our numbers down.
We'll adapt, even though the hint that such a thing might happen is highly unlikely.

[dislekcia]

Although you are quite right, I assumed that biomass is a more important population growth factor than actual numbers.

Biomass-wise you're still talking bunk. Hundreds of insect species out-mass humanity's gross weight. Just because they're mainly underground doesn't mean they're not there... Several species of bacteria and/or algae out-mass "us" too.

Isolationist thinking like yours does a lot more harm than it seems. As soon as humanity started using technology (and technology here refers to anything non-inherent in the organism itself - everything from stone axes onwards) to alter the environment we lived in, we've proven time and time again that our decisions with that technology are short-sighted and far more harmful than good.

Recent studies are showing that biodiversity has a lot more to do with ecological balance and habitability than was previously thought. Just as you say that what we do is natural, we cannot isolate ourselves from the consequences of our actions as a species. Think about the factors that caused the extinction of Yangtze river dolphins: Pollution, boat noise, overcrowded waterways. Aren't those things all bad for humans too? If you don't try to do something about those problems, then you're consigning more humans to worse fates via related factors.

Use the intellect that you so laud over animals: Realise that you're not aloof and safe because you're smart. You're actually an evolutionary experiment that is constantly poised on the verge of out-competing itself. In many ways we're very like algae that way.

-D

[Garson007]

I'm sorry to those who don't like people who dissect posts by quoting bits and pieces, but in a discussion such as this I think it's quite valid, so bare with me.


Biomass-wise you're still talking bunk. Hundreds of insect species out-mass humanity's gross weight. Just because they're mainly underground doesn't mean they're not there... Several species of bacteria and/or algae out-mass "us" too.
Fair enough. I was just pointing out that we have an alarming amount of population and growth rate for an organism as big as ourselves.


Isolationist thinking like yours does a lot more harm than it seems. As soon as humanity started using technology (and technology here refers to anything non-inherent in the organism itself - everything from stone axes onwards) to alter the environment we lived in, we've proven time and time again that our decisions with that technology are short-sighted and far more harmful than good.
I don't seem to follow your logic there. If it did more harm than good, why do we have so many people on this planet? The harm done to the environment is relative; human population I can measure.


Recent studies are showing that biodiversity has a lot more to do with ecological balance and habitability than was previously thought. Just as you say that what we do is natural, we cannot isolate ourselves from the consequences of our actions as a species. Think about the factors that caused the extinction of Yangtze river dolphins: Pollution, boat noise, overcrowded waterways. Aren't those things all bad for humans too? If you don't try to do something about those problems, then you're consigning more humans to worse fates via related factors.
Never did I say all that we do are good to us as a species. I was purely talking about the extinction of a species I would never have set my eyes on in any case. It's all about me not caring for said animal. All I'm doing is being honest, something most people seem afraid to be.


Use the intellect that you so laud over animals: Realise that you're not aloof and safe because you're smart. You're actually an evolutionary experiment that is constantly poised on the verge of out-competing itself. In many ways we're very like algae that way.
I never said that we are safe, only that I believe that we can adapt. Am I so wrong to believe in my own kin's ability to adapt?

[X-Ploding_Shoes]

We are part of nature, we are also nature; everything we do is natural. [1]


Technology is part of what we are as humans. The intellect that we have to make use of seemingly useless objects is all natural. [2]


Although you are quite right, I assumed that biomass is a more important population growth factor than actual numbers. [3]


We'll adapt, even though the hint that such a thing might happen is highly unlikely[4].

1.) We've made elements that do not exist in nature...by our very nature we defy nature.

2.) okay maybe if we were in the situation where a lion is going to eat us, and we hit it with a stick or rock..but when we infuse the stick with a special type of metal to make it a better harder stick, we kinda step beyond what nature intended. I mean chimpanzees use twigs to eat ants but they dont use bazookas to blow up the ant hill.

3.) I think it was stated already, about the whole trillions of insects make a greater biomass.

4.) Ya we'l adapt by eating dirt or something. No wait we'l be able to change the molecular structure of dirt into Chocolate...how natural will that be?

[Garson007]

Errr, technology might not be what "Universe intended" but neither were cellular organisms. Everything under the laws of science is indeed natural.

[X-Ploding_Shoes]

If we want to talk about that, than the very foundation of life was not intended. The universe is made up of 98&#37; Hydrogen and Helium....if the stars never exploded then none of us would be here...maybe thats not what Nature intended but thats what happened....and what humans do and built is not what she intended.

[Garson007]

Then what -did- nature intend?

[Gazza_N]

Nature is chaotic by definition. Going on about what is and isn't "intended" by Nature is fallacy. What happens, happens in accordance with the scientific laws that govern the Universe. Garson is completely right in that regard.

EDIT: Oooer... I just realised that I posted a completely contradictory statement there. I should have said: Nature is chaotic and assigning "intention" to it is fallacy, but that this chaos is in accordance with global Universal rules (gravity, etc). All is as it should be.

[Garson007]

Ty. *hugs Gazza_N*

[X-Ploding_Shoes]

I don't know! We're some fluke of evolution...maybe in some other dimension we don't exist and the Octopus is the highest form of life...

Before I got side tracted the thing I was just trying to get across was that this Dolphin went extinct because of humans and this is not good....and thats its irresponisible to not care..this is our Earth...your childrens Earth....we can't just stand back and watch it die by our hands.

[wisp]

here is a list of extinct species from Africa only with last sighting dates ...is this not a frightening list:(:(:(:(:(
Mammals


? North African Elephant, Loxodonta africana pharaoensis (300, North Africa)
? Algerian Wild Ass, Asinus atlanticus (300, North Africa)
? Bluebuck or Blue Antelope, Hippotragus leucophaeus (1799, South Africa)
? Atlas Bear, Ursus arctos crowtheri (1844, North Africa)
? Lesser Mascarene Flying Fox, Pteropus subniger (1862, R?union)
? Cape Lion, Panthera leo melanochaitus (1865, South Africa)
? Quagga, Equus quagga quagga (1883, South Africa)
? Cape Warthog, Phacochoerus aethiopicus aethiopicus (1900, South Africa)
? Barbary Lion, Panthera leo leo (1922, North Africa)
? North African Aurochs, Bos primigenius mauretanicus (Unknown date, North Africa)
? Bubal Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus (North Africa)
? Cape Serval, Leptailurus serval serval (South Africa)
? Madagascan Dwarf Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus lemerlei (Madagascar)
? Madagascan Pygmy Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus madagascariensis (Madagascar)
? North African Serval, Leptailurus serval constantina (North Africa)
? Red Gazelle, Gazella rufina (Algeria)
? Robert's Lechwe, Kobus leche robertsi (Zambia)
? Canary Islands Giant Rat, Canariomys tamarani (Canary Islands
? Lava Mouse, Malpaisomys insularis (Canary Islands
? Nubian Wild Ass, (Nubia)
Birds


? Aldabra Brush-Warbler, Nesillas aldabrana (Seychelles)
? Aepyornis or Great Elephant Bird, Aepyornis maximus (Madagascar)
? Ascension Flightless Crake, Atlantisia elpenor (St Helena)
? Broad-billed Parrot, Lophopsittacus mauritianus (Mauritius)
? Delalande's Coua, Coua delalandei (Madagascar)
? Dodo, Raphus cucullatus (Mauritius)
? Large St Helena Petrel, Pterodroma rupinarum (St Helena)
? Mauritius Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas nitidissima (Mauritius)
? Mascarene Coot, Fulica newtoni (R?union, Mauritius)
? Mascarene Parrot, Mascarinus mascarinus (R?union)
? Mauritian Duck, Anas theodori (Mauritius)
? Mauritian Shelduck, Alopochen mauritianus (Mauritius)
? Mauritius Grey Parrot, Lophopsittacus bensoni (Mauritius)
? Mauritius Night-Heron, Nycticorax mauritianus (Mauritius)
? Mauritius Owl, Mascarenotus sauzieri (Mauritius)
? Newton's Parakeet, Psittacula exsul (Mauritius)
? Red Rail, Aphanapteryx bonasia (Mauritius)
? R?union Flightless Ibis, Threskiornis solitarius (R?union)
? R?union Gallinule, Porphyrio coerulescens (R?union)
? R?union Kestrel, Falco buboisi (R?union)
? R?union Night-Heron, Nycticorax duboisi (R?union)
? R?union Owl, Mascarenotus grucheti (R?union)
? R?union Pigeon, Columba duboisi (R?union)
? R?union Shelduck, Mascarenachen kervazoi (R?union)
? R?union Starling, Fregilupus varius (R?union)
? Rodrigues Night-Heron, Nycticorax megacephalus (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues Owl, Mascarenotus murivorus (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues Parrot, Necropsittacus rodericanus (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues Pigeon, Alectroenas rodericana (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues Rail, Aphanapteryx leguati (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues Solitaire, Pezophaps solitaria (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues Starling, Necropsar rodericanus (Mauritius)
? Seychelles Parakeet, Psittacula wardi (Seychelles)
? Small St Helena Petrel, Bulweria bifax (St Helena)
? St Helena Crake, Atlantisia podarces (St Helena)
? St Helena Cuckoo, Nannococcyx psix (St Helena)
? St Helena Dove, Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos (St Helena)
? St Helena Hoopoe, Upupa antaois (St Helena)
? St Helena Rail, Porzana astrictocarpus (St Helena)
? Tristan Moorhen, Gallinula nesiotis (St Helena)
? Canarian Black Oystercatcher, Haematopus meadewaldoi 1981 (Tenerife)
? Canary Islands Quail, Coturnix gomerae (Canary Islands)
? Eastern Canary Islands Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus canariensis exsul 1986 (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura)
? Madeiran Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus maderensis 1924 (Madeira)
Reptiles
? Cape Verde Giant Skink, Macroscincus coctei (Cape Verde)
? Eastwood?s Longtailed Seps, Tetradactylus eastwoodae (South Africa)
? Leiolopisma mauritiana (Mauritius)
? Saddle-backed Mauritius Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis inepta (Mauritius)
? Domed Mauritius Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis triserrata (Mauritius)
? Mozambique centipede-eater, Aparallactus nigriceps (Mozambique)
? R?union Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis indica (R?union)
? Rodrigues Giant Gecko, Phelsuma gigas (Mauritius)
? Domed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis peltastes (Mauritius)
? Saddle-backed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis vosmaeri (Mauritius) 1795
? Round Island Burrowing Boa, Bolyeria multocarinata (Mauritius)
? Seychelles Black Terrapin, Pelusios seychellensis (Seychelles)
? Typhlops cariei (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues giant day gecko Phelsuma gigas (Mauritius)
? Rodrigues day gecko, Phelsuma edwardnewtoni 1917 (Mauritius)
? Roque Chico de Salmor Giant Lizard, Gallotia simonyi simonyi 1935 (Canary Islands)
? La Palma Giant Lizard, Gallotia auaritae (La Palma, Canary Islands)
Fish
? Pantanodon madagascariensis (Madagascar)
? Ptychochromis onilahy (Madagascar)
? Ptychochromoides itasy (Madagascar)