The deaths of 120 river dolphins in a tributary of the Amazon River are believed to be linked to a severe drought and high temperatures.

• Low river levels during the drought have led to water temperatures that are harmful to the dolphins.
• The Amazon River dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) is a species of toothed whale that lives in the rainforest rivers of South America. They are also known as the boto, bufeo, or pink river dolphin.
• Known for their striking pink colour, are a unique freshwater species in South America and face vulnerability due to slow reproductive cycles.

EL NINO

These massive floods and extreme events are a cause of El Nino. El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This event has an impact on ocean temperatures, the speed and strength of ocean currents, the health of coastal fisheries and species, and local weather from Australia to South America and beyond. El Niño events occur irregularly at two- to seven-year intervals.

Effects on humans

Extreme temperatures caused by El Nino, lead to a loss of
livelihoods, spikes in hunger, malnutrition, food and
water insecurity, and deepening poverty and inequality,
hitting the most vulnerable the hardest. While
El Niño lasts for a short period, the impacts on
people, agricultural production, and the sustainable
development of affected countries can persist for years.
The scale and scope of the devastation for communities
in countries most affected by the current El Niño/La
Niña highlights gaps in responses and signals the need
for a new approach to address slow-onset, predictable
weather events in the context of climate change. This
new approach must reflect the deeply integrated
challenges of promoting long-term development,
building resilient communities and reducing vulnerability
to natural disasters.