« Over a hundred river dolphins have been discovered dead in Lake Tefe, a tributary of the Amazon River in recent days, with biologists blaming the death on a severe drought and scorching temperatures in the region.
Footage captured on Tuesday shows researchers from the Mamiraua Institute for Sustainable Development retrieving the carcasses of the dolphins, taking samples and performing autopsies to determine their cause of death.
According to local reports, at least 120 dolphins have been found drifting in the waters of Lake Tefe, and thousands of fish have also died amid the extreme heat.
While researchers are yet to determine the exact cause of the ecological disaster, the leading theory is reported to be low water levels which are heated by the sun at a faster rate than has previously been seen in the lake.
Experts claim the waters of Lake Tefe reached highs of 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, far exceeding average temperatures for the time of year. At least 70 dolphin carcasses were discovered on the same day.
Environmental activists claim climate change is to blame, while activists have started moving the lake’s surviving dolphin population to the main channel of the Amazon River. »
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