Endangered pink river dolphins face a rising mercury threat in the Amazon
Fishers help scientists and veterinarians capture pink river dolphins Sept. 7, 2025, in the Amazon River for health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians capture a pink river dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, in the Amazon River to perform health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians capture a pink river dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, in the Amazon River for health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians carry a pink river dolphin captured in the Amazon River for health checks Sept. 7, 2025, in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians examine a pink river dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians examine the dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians examine the dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Veterinarian Maria Jimena Valderrama implants a microchip into a pink river dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, after a health check in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians weigh the pink river dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, after checking its health in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists and veterinarians free a pink river dolphin Sept. 7, 2025, after checking its health in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Scientists examine blood samples Sept. 7, 2025, drawn from pink river dolphins in the Amazon River to determine mercury levels in Puerto Narino, Colombia.
Monitoring shows a 52% decline in pink dolphins and a 34% drop in gray river dolphins in this part of the Amazon in recent decades.
Scientists warn that "flying rivers" — invisible streams of moisture that carry rain from the Atlantic Ocean westward across the Amazon — are weakening as deforestation and climate change advance.