Latest comments posted about Farewell to the baiji on ChinaDialogue en-gb http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/673-Farewell-to-the-baiji http://staging.chinadialogue.net/images/cdlogo.gif http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/673-Farewell-to-the-baiji It is interesting that so many people are concerned about the other less 'glamorous' species that are also under threat in this and other areas of the world - and give some postive news to counter the sadness of this story. There are progressive efforts being made on the plant conservation front, you can see http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/1240-Bright-prospects-for-the-magnolia for more on that. Also there was recently announced the closure of the Three Gorges Botanic Garden, where a fish farmer gave up his livelihood to save thousands of rare plants from the dam but five years later has been forced to close the garden. Maybe some of you working in conservation can contact him and help to rescue the plants before they are also lost forever. Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:40:34 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-4256 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-4256 There are only 4 types of freshwater dolphin: the boto or Amazon river dolphins in the Amazon region, the Ganges River dolphin and Indus River dolphins in India, and the Baiji in the Yangtze River in China. For instance, the Giant Panda has several relatives in the bear family; Golden monkey has many relatives in the monkeys’ family, if they become extinct, at least will have some other close related species to keep and ponder on the past. However, Baiji doesn’t have any similar species in their family. Hence, we are unable to imagine they look alike in the event of extinction. Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:55:14 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-4183 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-4183 This has made the news recently in the Uk. I was shocked enough to do some research, and found this article. I do wonder about the sensibility of the Chinese people (if there is such a word in Chinese) but was reassured to read some of the comments here. I very much hope a few individuals can be found, and that somehow the species can be saved. Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:47:57 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-4031 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-4031 As long as live Baiji exist, there is still hope. Whether or not their sperm can be obtained, we can try save the Baiji and other freshwater dolphin breeds through modern technology of conserving their DNA. Fri, 25 May 2007 09:17:14 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-3746 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-3746 I have watched "Dajiatan" and have realised that: 1. "Baiji" should not have been died out. 2. Relevant national departments in charge of endangered species should be mainly responsible for it. 3. Ms Chen who is heading the research team has direct responsibilities. She has her resolutions, passion, but is not a capable person, unfortunately! Wed, 09 May 2007 01:01:11 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-3667 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-3667 Last night i happened to watched the programme "Dajiatan" in CCTV10. The head of "Research Team of Baiji" Ms Chen was interviewed in it. I could not sleep after watching it. Why people did not make effort to safe Baiji when there were still hundreds left in the 80s last century? I was angry and doubted the Ms Chen's capability of doing this job. They wanted to find a partner for Qiqi long ago but hadn't been managed that. At that time there were hundreds of Baiji in Yangtze River but now there is nothing! It is such a tragic! I think if the government did a job on advertising about this before, the result might have been much better. I grow up along Yangtze River and did not know Baiji is on the list of threatened species and has died out until i watched the programme! i got up early this morning and searched articles about it. now i can hardly express my feelings. i wish Baiji can be found in the future! Hanji Cheng jaycheng1974@yahoo.com.cn Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:17:11 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-3613 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-3613 I look upon this issue very optimistically, always taking on the role of someone spreading the word about this. My hope is that as more people come to understand and care, even if the baiji has disappeared from this world, still it cannot disappear in our memories, and it is in the lesson we've learned: the protection of the Yangtze's aquatic life forms and the Yangtze's ecology are not only about the protection and administration of the habitat of the baiji and other rare aquatic species in the Yangtze, but even more about the proection of mankind's own home. Considering a 39-day survey, and not finding a single baiji, everyone is very sad. Speaking frankly, if we can catch a live animal, then we can truly do a good job of saving it. Everyone should consider: when Qiqi lived in the institute for baiji for 23 years, did everyone know about the work of those experts? I don't want to say the benefits the country derives from this are very obvious, and there are a lot of aspects to it which anger people, but this does not get rid of a country's determination to save a species. What I want to say is that we really have not expended every effort to save the baiji. I need a powerful organisation to come support our conference on the ecology of the Yangtze, and the Yangtze Environment Forum also needs everyone's support. The Yangtze Environment Forum (www.cjhj.org) hopes that it can encourage everyone to pay attention to the ecology of the Yangtze. Contact telephone: (86)+15900783739 Alai Fri, 12 Jan 2007 10:55:43 -0500 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-905 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-905 This is a very good and unsettling article. But bringing up the panda highlights a problem which goes beyond the sad extinction of the Baiji. Thanks to global attention, the panda has become a very recognisable image. Cetaceans have also been in the international spotlight for a long time. And although it may well be too late for the Baiji, cetaceans receive more attention than less 'marketable' species, that are nonetheless, vital for a functioning ecosystem. I do not wish to underestimate the efforts and benefits of species conservation. But our tendency to pick 'winners and losers' ignores the complexity of ecological systems. Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:10:43 -0500 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-896 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-896 Ironically, this is probably a typical case for the theory of the survival of the fittest. But this sends out a warning signal that all species, with no exception of human beings, have to adapt themselves to the worsening enviroment to just keep alive. Not sure when it will be the end of the world for human beiings, but no doubt bad environment contributes partyly to cancers and other incurable diseases. Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:20:10 -0500 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-897 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-897 It seems so much worse when you know this will likely be just one of many species to become extinct over the coming decade. Wed, 10 Jan 2007 17:27:08 -0500 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-893 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/673#comment-893