Baiji, Chinese river dolphin, declared extinct 2006

A Chinese news agency announced early December 2006 that a six-week survey of the Yangtze River had failed to detect any baijis (Chinese river dolphins).  The species was declared functionally extinct on December 13, 2006. 

In the 1950s, the baiji population was estimated at 6000 but by 1970, only a few hundred were left.  For years, humans had hunted the baiji and other species using illegal practices, such as electric fishing.  Other causes for the baiji's decline were over-fishing, collisions with boats and ships, and pollution.  There was a failure to determine what the impact construction the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River would have on the baiji.

Pollution in the water resulted in diseases and pathogens which have also caused the decline in the species.

Although hunting the baiji was declared illegal in China in 1983, the animal was still hunted.

However, there have been a few unsubstantiated sightings of the baiji since 2007.  Even if these are confirmed, are there enough of the baiji left to repopulate the species?

Trump cancels protection for endangered wildlife and national parks

In the past few days, The Donald and his administration have gone ape-shit, hell-bent on destroying our natural resources, flora and fauna.  First, The Donald and the U.S. Forest Service are considering a proposal to allow Arch Coal, the country's second largest coal producer to mine 1700 acres of teh Gunnison National Forest in Colorado, pristine wilderness, for coal!  Environmental groups are already taking action to the destruction of public lands for the oil and gas industry.

If that wasn't enough, U.S. Dept of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke took the first official step yesterday to strip Utah's Bears Ears National Monument of its federal protection.  When President Obama first made Bears Ears a national monument, Utah Republicans were furious.  Why?  Because think of all the mining and fossil fuel drilling that can be done there!  The Donald does not care about the indigenous people who consider that land sacred to their tribes.  He wants their land so he can make more money.  

Also yesterday (The Donald was a busy boy Monday!), his administration threw out a new rule in place since 2016 proposed by the Pacific Fisher Management Council that sought to limit the numbers of endangered whales and sea turtles getting caught in fishing nets off the West Coast.  The rule applied to endangered fin, humpback and sperm whales, short-fin pilots whales, bottlenose dolphins, leatherback sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles, olife-ridley sea turtles and green sea turtles.

Why, The Donald?  What have you against endangered species?

https://www.nrdc.org/trump-watch/trumps-epa-stages-sham-public-hearings-cover-roll-back-safeguards
https://www.nrdc.org/trump-watch/zinke-moves-shrink-and-strip-protection-bears-ears-national-monument?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=tweet&utm_content=socialmedia
https://www.nrdc.org/trump-watch/trump-administration-gunning-gunnison-national-forest?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=tweet&utm_content=socialmedia