The death of dolphins in Lake Tefé, in the interior of Amazonas, may indicate that the region’s ecosystem is affected.
“Because they are at the top of the food chain, dolphins are considered sentinels of the health and environmental quality of the region’s ecosystem”, explains researcher Marina Galvāo Bueno, from the Comparative and Environmental Virology Laboratory of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fiocruz), who participates in the task force investigating the sudden death of porpoises, which “points out that, possibly, the entire ecosystem is already affected”.
More than 150 animals were found dead in the region, which has been suffering the consequences of a severe drought.
The most affected animal is the red dolphin, also known as the pink dolphin, one of the main symbols of the Amazon fauna. The tucuxis dolphins, a species of freshwater dolphin, were also severely affected.
Still no answers
Operation Botos Tefé Emergency was launched by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), linked to the Ministry of the Environment, with technical support from the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, associated with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations.
There is still no defined cause for the incident. The tissue and organ samples analyzed so far by the task force have not shown the presence of infectious agents, such as viruses and bacteria, capable of justifying the high number of deaths.
National and international institutions are divided into working groups dedicated to the collection and necropsy of carcasses for analysis.
“As soon as the carcasses are located, the team performs necropsies and documents all injuries. The group is equipped with all the biosafety measures and materials necessary to collect biological material for histological, toxicological and molecular biology evaluations”, reports the researcher. In addition, experts are carrying out an assessment of water quality and rescuing and rehabilitating surviving animals.
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“Exposed to the same conditions”
The Amazon is facing a period of severe drought and several hot spots. The water temperature in the Lake Tefé region reached 39.1°C in a measurement carried out on September 28th — well above the normal for the location, which is around 30°C.
According to the northern state’s drought bulletin, released on October 15, 50 of the 62 municipalities in Amazonas are in an emergency situation.
“It is a situation that goes beyond the conservation of biodiversity, which is also extremely important. There are many people who live in the region and share the same environment as the dolphins, using the water from the Tefé River for transportation, food and personal hygiene. They are exposed to the same conditions that caused the death of the dolphins. Therefore, it is also a matter of human health”, highlights Marina.
Source: CNN Brasil
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