In the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, over the course of the past week, more than 100 dolphins have perished, a dire consequence of the severe drought afflicting the region. Experts warn that unless water temperatures subside, a significant number of additional dolphin fatalities may occur.
The Mamiraua Institute, a research organization under Brazil's Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, reported that on Monday, two more lifeless dolphins were discovered in the vicinity of Tefe Lake, a crucial area for local mammals and fish. Distressing video footage provided by the institute depicted vultures scavenging the dolphin carcasses strewn along the lakeside. Concurrently, numerous fish in the area have also succumbed, according to local media reports.
The prevailing theory among experts is that elevated water temperatures are the primary factor contributing to the mass dolphin deaths in the region. Over the past week, temperatures have soared to over 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Tefe Lake area.
The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, an agency of the Brazilian government responsible for managing conservation areas, dispatched teams comprising veterinarians and aquatic mammal specialists last week to investigate the dolphin fatalities.
Miriam Marmontel, a researcher affiliated with the Mamiraua Institute, disclosed that Tefe Lake was previously inhabited by around 1,400 river dolphins. Marmontel remarked, "In one week we have already lost around 120 animals between the two of them, which could represent 5 percent to 10 percent of the population."
In recent days, workers have been retrieving dolphin carcasses from the region, where dry riverbeds have negatively impacted impoverished riverside communities and stranded boats in sandy shallows. In response to the dire drought conditions, Amazonas Governor Wilson Lima declared a state of emergency on Friday.
Nicson Marreira, the mayor of Tefe, a city inhabited by 60,000 people, lamented that his administration faced challenges in delivering food supplies directly to isolated communities due to the lack of navigable rivers.
Ayan Fleischmann, the Geospatial coordinator at the Mamiraua Institute, underscored the substantial repercussions of the drought on Amazonian riverside communities. He expressed, "Many communities are becoming isolated, without access to good quality water, without access to the river, which is their main means of transportation." Fleischmann added that water temperatures had surged from 32 degrees Celsius (89 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday to nearly 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) by Sunday.
While the precise cause of the dolphin deaths remains under investigation, the prevailing suspicion remains tied to the persistently high temperatures in the region.
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