The body of a baby river dolphin was found on a sandy bank exposed by the receding waters of Lake Tefé as the Amazon faces its worst drought on record.
Researchers found the dead river dolphin in the Amazon on Wednesday. They said that the lake continues to shrink and water temperatures rise.
In 2023, 155 river dolphins were found dead in Lake Tefé. And 120 dolphin deaths occurred in Lake Coari. Both lakes are located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The animals died due to extreme heat and lack of water.
This year’s drought is having a similar impact, with multiple dead dolphins found in recent weeks. While dolphin deaths are not as high as last year, the dry season still has more than a month left, and water levels will continue to decline.
“We’ve found several dead animals. Last week, we discovered about one per day on average,” Miriam Marmontel, who leads the dolphin project at the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, told news agency Reuters.
Marmontel suspects that the increased proximity between dolphins and human activity, such as fishing, is a major factor. The lake has shrunk dramatically due to this year’s severe drought, reducing the dolphins’ habitat.
The main channel is now only about two meters deep and 100 meters wide, meaning all boat traffic—from small canoes to large ferries—is concentrated in this narrow space. This has led to tragic accidents, with two dolphins recently killed by boats.
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