World’s smallest dolphin faces extinction threat Maui’s dolphin, the world’s smallest subspecies of #dolphin, is on the verge of #extinction. The creature, which is only found off the North Island in New Zealand, is among the rarest marine mammals. In fact, it is estimated that there are only 55 of them that are aged over 1. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the creatures are critically endangered due to human actions, such as fishing, boat strikes, increasing marine pollution and even oil exploration. While pollution remains a major and long term concern, the immediate threat comes from fishing, particularly with regard to the nets that are used. Dolphins are unable to detect fine nylon nets and often tend to get caught in them. Although the New Zealand government has imposed a set net ban, it only covers part of the dolphin’s habitat. In order to urge for greater efforts to protect the creature, #WWF launched the ‘Last 55’ campaign in May 2014. It calls for extending marine reserves to Maui’s dolphins’ habitats. The campaign has initiated a petition in an attempt to collect signatures from people, urging the New Zealand government to take immediate action.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 02:41:06 +0000
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