In an alarming revelation, more than 100 dolphins have met their tragic end in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest due to the region’s most severe droughts, coupled with scorching water temperatures. The Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, a reputable research institution funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, uncovered these lifeless dolphins in Lake Tefé.
Early indications from experts at the institute suggest a strong connection between the extreme temperatures, reaching up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, and the recent droughts in the Amazon, which have created this calamity. This isn’t the only ecological devastation: Thousands of fish, too, have succumbed in Lake Tefé. The Amazon Rainforest, renowned for its unmatched biodiversity, is a sanctuary for countless species. The Amazon River, which meanders through it, stands as the globe’s largest waterway.
However, the Amazon’s pristine environment faces grave threats. Human interventions and recent extreme weather patterns have sounded alarm bells. Recognizing the urgency, Amazonas state announced an environmental emergency last month, followed by a dedicated $20 million response strategy.
Daniel Tregidgo, a UK-based researcher stationed in the Amazon, shared his distress with The Guardian. He lamented, “Witnessing pink river dolphins is an Amazonian marvel. Discovering one dead is heartbreaking, but beholding heaps of their corpses? It’s catastrophic.”
On the human front, the consequences are equally troubling. The drought’s vast reach could potentially impact half a million inhabitants by year-end. With waterways being the primary transportation method, the dwindling river levels have obstructed essential supplies like food and water and significantly affected fishing activities, vital for many local communities.
Amazonas state’s proactive approach includes the distribution of essential goods, from food to personal hygiene products, in impacted zones. Governor Wilson Lima assures that various government echelons will extend support to the affected townships. As per recent data, 15 municipalities are grappling with a state of emergency, with 40 more on high alert.
A significant factor exacerbating this drought is the El Niño climate phenomenon, known for its warmer-than-average seawater in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which impacts global weather patterns, often curtailing rain cloud formation. With global temperatures on the rise, droughts are becoming harsher, more prolonged, and more frequent, reminding us of the urgent need to address climate change.
Zaidi ya dolfini 100 wamekufa katika msitu wa mvua wa Amazon nchini Brazil kutokana na ukame mkali na joto kali la maji. Mamaraú Institute for Sustainable Development, taasisi maarufu ya utafiti inayofadhiliwa na Wizara ya Sayansi, Teknolojia, na Ubunifu ya Brazil, iligundua pomboo hao wasio na uhai katika Ziwa Tefé. "Utafiti wa hivi karibuni wa wataalamu wa taasisi hiyo unaonyesha kuna uhusiano mkubwa kati ya joto kali, linalofikia digrii 102 Fahrenheit, na ukame wa hivi karibuni katika Amazon, ambao umesababisha msiba huu. """ Hii si uharibifu pekee wa ikolojia: Maelfu ya samaki, pia, wamefariki katika Ziwa Tefé. Msitu wa Mvua wa Amazon, unaojulikana kwa utofauti wake wa viumbe hai, ni mahali patakatifu pa spishi nyingi. Mto Amazon, unaovuka katikati yake, ndio njia kubwa zaidi ya maji ulimwenguni. Hata hivyo, mazingira safi ya Amazon yanakabili hatari kubwa. Uingiliaji wa wanadamu na hali mbaya za hali ya hewa za hivi karibuni zimetokeza kengele za kuonya. Kwa sababu ya hali hiyo, jimbo la Amazonas lilitangaza hali ya dharura ya mazingira mwezi uliopita, ikifuatiwa na mkakati wa kujitolea wa $ 20 milioni. Daniel Tregidgo, mtafiti wa Uingereza aliyehamia Amazon, alishiriki shida yake na The Guardian. Alilalamika, <unk>Kushuhudia pomboo wa mto wa rangi ya waridi ni ajabu ya Amazon. Kugundua mtu aliyekufa ni jambo lenye kuvunja moyo, lakini kuona rundo la maiti zao? Ni msiba. Katika upande wa kibinadamu, matokeo ni yenye kusumbua vilevile. Ukame huo mkubwa unaweza kuathiri wakazi milioni nusu kufikia mwisho wa mwaka. Kwa kuwa njia za maji ndizo njia kuu za usafiri, kupungua kwa kiwango cha maji ya mito kumezuia vifaa muhimu kama vile chakula na maji na kuathiri sana shughuli za uvuvi, muhimu kwa jamii nyingi za mitaa. Mkakati wa serikali ya Amazonas ni pamoja na usambazaji wa bidhaa muhimu, kutoka chakula hadi bidhaa za usafi wa kibinafsi, katika maeneo yaliyoathiriwa. Gavana Wilson Lima anahakikisha kwamba ngazi mbalimbali za serikali zitaongeza msaada kwa miji iliyoathiriwa. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa za hivi karibuni, manispaa 15 zinakabiliwa na hali ya dharura, na 40 zaidi ziko katika hali ya tahadhari. "Kama matokeo ya hali ya hewa ya El Niño, maji ya bahari ya Pasifiki ya kitropiki ni ""mawe ya joto kuliko wastani"" na kwa hivyo huathiri hali ya hewa ya ulimwengu, na mara nyingi hupunguza kuunda mawingu ya mvua." "Kwa kuongezeka kwa joto duniani, ukame unakuwa mkali zaidi, wa muda mrefu zaidi na mara nyingi zaidi, ukitukumbusha umuhimu wa haraka wa kukabiliana na mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa."""