IUCN Red List Marks All Freshwater Dolphins As 'Threatened'

In its updated ‘Red List’, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has marked all the five freshwater Dolphins species as ‘threatened with extinction.’ The IUCN has cited incidental mortality in fishing gear, river pollution and construction of dams as the reason. Reportedly, the freshwater dolphin species include Ganga, Tucuxi, Indus, Irrawaddy and Amazon. While the Tucuxi was moved from data deficient to endangered, IUCN has enlisted other freshwater species under ‘threatened’ category.