New Species of River Dolphin Discovered in Brazil
- 10 years ago
A new species of river dolphin has been discovered by scientists working in Brazil. This is the fifth known species of its kind, and there are an estimated one thousand of the dolphins living in the Araguaia river basin.
A new species of river dolphin has been discovered by scientists working in Brazil.
This is the fifth known species of its kind, and there are an estimated one thousand of the dolphins living in the Araguaia river basin.
Researchers from the Federal University of Amazonas ran genetic testing on some of the dolphins to be certain that a new species had been found.
The last time a new species of river dolphin was discovered was back in 1918.
Doctor Tomas Hrbek, lead author of the study, is quoted as saying: “ It is very similar to the other ones. It was something that was very unexpected, it is an area where people see them all the time, they are a large mammal, the thing is nobody really looked.”
The Araguaia dolphins are smaller and reportedly have fewer teeth than the Amazon river dolphins, also called boto or pink dolphins, which are believed to be the most intelligent of the river dolphins.
Experts think that the Yangtze river dolphin that lived in China went extinct around the year 2006.
The new species of Araguaia dolphin is threatened by river dams and habitat destruction, along with being killed by fisherman in competition for food.
A new species of river dolphin has been discovered by scientists working in Brazil.
This is the fifth known species of its kind, and there are an estimated one thousand of the dolphins living in the Araguaia river basin.
Researchers from the Federal University of Amazonas ran genetic testing on some of the dolphins to be certain that a new species had been found.
The last time a new species of river dolphin was discovered was back in 1918.
Doctor Tomas Hrbek, lead author of the study, is quoted as saying: “ It is very similar to the other ones. It was something that was very unexpected, it is an area where people see them all the time, they are a large mammal, the thing is nobody really looked.”
The Araguaia dolphins are smaller and reportedly have fewer teeth than the Amazon river dolphins, also called boto or pink dolphins, which are believed to be the most intelligent of the river dolphins.
Experts think that the Yangtze river dolphin that lived in China went extinct around the year 2006.
The new species of Araguaia dolphin is threatened by river dams and habitat destruction, along with being killed by fisherman in competition for food.