Whether or not you’re an advocate for nature and marine animals, the deaths of dolphins in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest are unarguably disturbing. The high temperatures have risen to an unbearable height for these poor dolphins. How many dolphins have died? Is the high temperature the only cause of these deaths? What about the humans in the area? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and more.
What exactly happened in the Brazilian Amazon?
At the end of September, some dolphins were found dead in Lake Tefé in the Brazilian Amazon. The number of dead dolphins has risen to more than 100 in just a few days, raising a serious cause for alarm.
Since there has been a drought in the area for a while now, it’s a no-brainer that the continuously high temperatures have been affecting the waters– and consequently, the fish. Over 120 dolphins have been found dead in the Brazilian Amazon in the last ten days.
What caused these deaths?
The death of these dolphins is every shade of ‘unusual.’ The main suggested cause of these dolphin deaths is the high water temperatures in the area. Getting above 102°F, the water temperature is hardly habitable for sea creatures.
Another possible reason is the severe drought that hit the Brazilian Amazon recently. Since the Amazon River is in its dry season, we don’t need to be scientists to know that the smaller rivers will have little to no water.
Are dolphins the only ones affected?
Dolphins aren’t the only creatures living in water; thousands of fish are in the water. So it only follows that as dolphins are dying to the high water temperatures, different types of fish are dying too.
Aside from the carcasses of dolphins around the lake, there are also carcasses of thousands of several fishes. The drought also affects the area’s residents as only a small water supply is available.
Are there any rescue plans in place?
The dolphin death problem is complicated- the waters are drying up, and it’s unbearably hot in places where there’s water. This means that any attempt to solve the problem should also be multi-faceted.
A state of emergency has been declared, and workers have been evacuating carcasses. However, some communities in Tefé have no access to other areas or even government aid as the water was their main transportation medium.
What does this mean for us all?
It is a fact that this drought on the Brazilian Amazon affects more than just the area. Aside from the economic decline the drought has brought to the area and its surrounding areas, it points to something bigger.
You may have guessed it; we’re talking about climate change and global warming. Climate scientists suspect the drought and high water temperatures are an effect of human activities. Although no conclusion has been made yet, we’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping nothing greater is coming.
