102-degree water kills over 100 Amazon dolphins

More than a hundred dolphins have been discovered dead in the Brazilian Amazon, a region experiencing an unprecedented drought and exceptionally high water temperatures surpassing 102 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. The fatalities occurred within the last seven days in Lake Tefé, as reported by the Mamirauá Institute, a research institution funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science. The institute, noting the unusually high number of deaths, attributes the situation to the record-breaking temperatures and the historic drought affecting the Amazon. This alarming occurrence adds to the growing concerns among climate scientists regarding the impact of human activities and severe droughts on the region.

The Amazon River, the world's largest waterway, is in the dry season, and various species of river fauna are also facing adverse effects due to the extreme temperatures. Climate experts fear that such events underscore the repercussions of climate change in the area.

While it is still early to determine the precise cause of this distressing event, experts suggest a correlation between the prolonged drought and the exceptionally high temperatures in Lake Tefé, where some areas have reached 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit), according to statements from the Mamirauá Institute, as reported by CNN Brazil.

Efforts are underway by researchers and activists to rescue surviving dolphins by relocating them from lagoons and ponds on the outskirts to the main river body, where temperatures are more relaxed. However, the operation faces challenges due to the area's remote nature. André Coelho, a researcher at the Mamirauá Institute, highlighted the potential risks of transferring river dolphins to other water bodies, emphasizing the importance of verifying the presence of toxins or viruses before releasing the animals into the wild.