BaijiThe Baiji was only discovered and identified 80 years ago, but it is now on the brink of extinction. Despite lots of conservation efforts, the baiji remains the most endangered of cetaceans. The Baiji can also be called the yangtze River dolphin.
The baiji is a fairly small dolphin, the males 2m - 2.3m and females 2m - 2.4m. Like other river dolphins, it has tiny eyes and a long narrow beak. From a distance, its colouring looks white or grey, but close up it is dark bluish grey, and greyish white on the belly. It has a triangular dorsal fin, and the flippers are wide and rounded.
It is most active from early evening to early morning. They are found alone or in groups of up to 6 where tributaries join rivers.
The dolphin is only found in part of the Yantze River in China. It was declared a National Treasure of China and has been protected since 1975. Parts of Yangtze River have been declared as a nature reserve, but this has had little effect on the numbers of baiji because of boat traffic, fishing and industrial development along one of the busiest waterways in the world. The Baiji's genus name 'Lipotes' comes from the Greek meaning to be 'left behind'.
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
These friendly dolphins have been seen swimming and interacting with humans in the clear, warm shallow waters of the northern Bahamas. They are mainly found in groups of 1-15.
They are only found in the tropical to warm temperate Atlantic, inshore and offsure. Both males and females are 2m-2.3m long, and at birth 90cm+.
They eat fish and cephalopods.
