Baiji River Dolphin Trivia Questions

Bycatch was a major factor, but not the sole cause. Habitat degradation, boat collisions, and dam construction also critically contributed.

True—baiji had severely reduced vision due to the Yangtze’s murky waters, using sophisticated sonar clicks to navigate and find prey.

Declared functionally extinct in 2006, the baiji vanished due to overfishing, ship traffic, and habitat loss from the Yangtze River’s industrialization.

The last confirmed sighting was in 2004, not 2002, when a dead baiji washed ashore. A 2006 expedition failed to find any.

Historical accounts describe baiji cooperating with Chinese fishermen, a rare symbiotic behavior that earned them the nickname 'Goddess of the Yangtze.'

Baiji had a lifespan of about 24–35 years, not 50. This myth exaggerates their longevity; the oldest recorded was around 30.

False—baiji belonged to the family Platanistidae, river dolphins, not oceanic dolphins. Their closest relatives are South Asian river dolphins.

No cloning attempt succeeded. The baiji’s extinction was final; cloning wasn’t viable due to lack of viable cells or a surrogate mother.