Endangered And Extinct Species in China
March 25th, 2007
Submitted By: Peter Thelen
Early this winter, a scientific expedition on the Yangtze River ended with the discovery that China’s ancient White Dolphin is essentially extinct. Here is a Humane Society story and a CBS News story regarding the unfortunate discovery. The White Dolphin, or baiji, is the first marine mammal species in 50 years to be called extinct. More importantly for China, however, is that this recent discovery can be directly linked to the increased industrial activity in the country. Though baiji were living in a polluted river and were often killed by local fisheries, a main reason for their extinction was the constantly increasing ship traffic in the area. Baiji were effectively blind and used sonar to find their food, but increased ship noise has made this nearly impossible.
Now, another endangered species, the Finless Porpoise, faces the same fate in the Yangtze River. Is this an issue China should be concerned about? There have been earlier posts about China’s environmental problems and how it may be “unfair” to impose strict environmental standards on a country that is in the height of its own industrial revolution. But this is not emission or toxin levels at issue here; this is the fate of entire species. Though the significance of the loss of a species is a point of contention, it is reasonable to assume that if China does not establish a more rigorous system to keep the environmental impact of its industry in check, the local ecosystems will begin to change drastically. Now, I would never call myself an environmentalist, but I am a Californian and something about this issue does not sit right with me.
Here are some questions to think about that I have pondered myself:
Protecting an endangered species is not easy, but is it excusable for China to throw up its arms in futility because of its extremely rapid growth?
Can we expect China to be concerned with endangered species when it has other, more pressing issues such as providing clean drinking water and improving air quality levels?
Many people in the U.S. understand the issue of protecting endangered species and why it is important to humans. Is the issue of protecting endangered species important to the average Chinese person? Should it be?
Entry Filed under: Pre-Departure, China
7 Comments Add your own
1. nanheyangrouchuan | March 27th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
“Can we expect China to be concerned with endangered species when it has other, more pressing issues such as providing clean drinking water and improving air quality levels”
Leave it to the business class to seperate the two issues. These aquatic animals are endangered because the water they live in is also the primary source of drinking water for hundreds of millions of Chinese (when you factor the entire length of the Yangtze and its tributaries). If the water is not clean enough for animals, it is even worse for humans (technology has made us kinda soft).
If China had a proper wastewater treatment system in place along the river from Sichuan to Chongming island, the water would be at least clean enough for these animals to exist.
But a tight wallet, corruption, laziness and finger pointing keep that from happening.
2. Chris Carr | March 28th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
nanheyangrouchuan,
A valid point.
And as a person living there with purported expertise in that field you are doing _____________ ?? [fill in the blank] to help make a difference and change this landscape (versus sit on the sidelines and shoot the proverbial slingshot at others).
As you can tell, I don’t have much patience for persistent critics; I am more interested in working with folks who roll up their sleeves, take responsibility, and get it done to change things for the better.
3. Peter Thelen | March 28th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I understand your point about my post, nanheyangrouchuan. But as the articles that I cited state, it is not the pollution of the Yangtze River that is to blame for the extinction of the baiji, but local fisheries and increased ship traffic. Even if the river were cleaned up, which we can agree would be very beneficial, the baiji would still have had a very hard time locating its food with so much ship noise. It also would continue to be killed by careless local fishing practices. So, where does that leave us?
Protecting endangered species is not simply about reducing and monitoring pollution, but evaluating the entire process of how business is done and adjusting it accordingly. The point of my post was to consider whether China’s businesses and people in general see this protection of endangered species as worthwhile, or will instead choose not to go through the trouble of evaluating their business models for the benefit of these animals. What is your take on this?
4. nanheyangrouchuan | March 28th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Locals consider the baiji’s meat to be bitter, so what does that say about the condition of the fishing industry along the Yangtze? If fisherman have to eat meat they’d otherwise refuse, the fish and shellfish that they do eat must be in short supply, and I’d bet the baiji eats pretty much the same diet.
And what kills fish? Acidic, low oxygen waters. The baiji might be able to survive the river water better, but not forever. The baiji population was actually doing well until a fear years ago, when the population began to drop off significantly. Perhaps a tipping point in the Yangtze’s chemistry and therefore ecosystem was reached.
Chris, basically the point of my postings here is to not let business students be convinced that things in China are just “different” and that business is not an end all be all.
China is poisoning itself. What can I do about it? Just keep posting on the internet that the fault is not to be placed on technology restrictions and other such “anti-China” policies but that China has all of the tools it needs, it just has little will to use those tools. The top job at CEPA is actually an undersecretary type of job in the Chinese gov’t. The environment just isn’t that important over there.
5. Chris Carr | March 28th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
nanheyangrouchuan
Okay. No problem.
But words and tone matter. And if that “really” is your “point” then just come out and say that, and keep a lid on the bitter tone and anger. Nobody likes to be around that, even in cyberspace. And it’s not terribly constructive or productive. I will call you out on that; every time.
6. nanheyangrouchuan | March 28th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
My “tone”? Should I be more reverent when I speak of China like most people are? I could try to kowtow and type at the same time, most “China business experts” are pretty good at that.
My tone is partly a response to the way people usually go out of their way to avoid ruffling Chinese feathers. The Chinese expect weakness, but they don’t respect weakness, you can see it when the Chinese you are negotiating with deliberately raise their nose so that they are looking down at you after they are finished stating their position. Free advice for your future China business students.
7. Linda R. Norris | February 15th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
The loss of even one animal species, regardless of the means employed to destroy it …..is a waste, a travesty and should be considered an international crime.
There are no acceptable excuses, anymore. The governments of all countires should be held responsible for the demise of their native species. If China, had wanted to create a safe haven for the Baijii they would have done it. They have no use for animals other than to serve them up as food. If China wanted to create a safe haven for the Sun Bear, the Finless Porpoise, the Snub Nosed mokey…it would already be doing it.
But, the Chinese Govt. allows Bear Bile farms and it also allowed a 2,000 species to be driven to extinction. Nothing runs an animal species into the ground faster than money and greed.
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