More than a hundred dolphins have been found dead in the Brazilian Amazon amid an historic drought and record-high water temperatures that in places have exceeded 102 degrees Fahrenheit [38.8 °C].
The dead dolphins were all found in Lake Tefé over the past seven days, according to the Mamirauá Institute, a research facility funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science.
The institute said such a high number of deaths was unusual and suggested record-high lake temperatures and an historic drought in the Amazon may have been the cause.
The news is likely to add to the concerns of climate scientists over the effects human activity and extreme droughts are having on the region.
And from what I’ve read, replanting projects sponsored by the timber industry, planting all pine trees six feet apart, created the ideal setting for massive wildfires. I may have the details wrong but that was the gist.
Just plopping trees down won’t cut it anyway. The saying “can’t see the forest for the trees” is so apt because a forest is so much more than just trees.
Here in Sweden we’ve long since cut down our forests and replanted them with industry wood, then we got shocked when pests started eating the entire buffet we served for them.
The timber industry only replants in hopes that they’ll get to come cut it down again. Making that easier and more efficient is likely the only concern.