Freshwater river dolphins are among the most endangered cetaceans on Earth, facing threats from fishing, dams, and pollution in major Asian and South American rivers.
River dolphins caught in fishing nets drown, which for an air-breathing mammal is a prolonged and distressing death. Mercury poisoning from gold mining causes neurological deterioration and organ failure over months. Boat strikes cause blunt trauma injuries. The extinction of the baiji demonstrates that river dolphin loss happens faster than conservation can respond. Each remaining river dolphin species is at elevated risk of following the baiji within decades without urgent intervention.