Ganges River and Irrawaddy Dolphins... say what???

SANCTUARIES OPEN TO PROTECT RARE DOLPHIN SPECIES

http://news.discovery.com/earth/bangladesh-dolphin-sanctuaries-120215.html

Three new wildlife sanctuaries are opening to protect the rare, threatened dolphin species, Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins.  Bangladesh was proud to announce the openings of these sanctuaries in the freshwater of Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove ecosystem.  There is no real indicator of how much the species are lost, but both have disappeared from major portions of their range, so it was time to make a sanctuary of safety for them.  "Freshwater dolphins are among the most threatened wildlife on Earth because their habitat is highly degraded by human activities, including dam construction and unsustainable fisheries."  The sanctuaries safeguard 19 miles of channels.  The openings of the sanctuaries follows the extinction of the Yangtze River Dolphin in the Yangtze River of China.  There is more wildlife being protected by the new sanctuaries in the Sundarbans than just the dolphins, such as: river terrapin, masked finfoot, and small-clawed otter.

I think this is great that more habitat is being set aside for these species.  Until reading this, I had no idea these species even existed, much less that they were threatened.  To keep wildlife for future generations to study and enjoy, conservation efforts must be put into place.  I also think it is important to put more information and education on the threatened or endangered species to make them more well-known.

Bringing it all in a little closer to home...

PCBs of the Twelve Mile River

Just when you thought all was clean and pure in the Twelve Mile, a new project proposal may prove us wrong. Sam Wyche, Pickens County Councilman, wants to remove fallen and leaning trees on the river to open up  a whitewater pathway for recreational activities, as well as picnicking on the sandbars in the river.  The EPA has started doing samples to evaluate any PCB risks to human health and the environment.

In 2006, the two dams on the river were removed to help clean out contaminants.  The public and Jennifer Willis, Pickens County Council Chairwoman, say that the whole river should be studied "from the site of the former capacitor manufacturing plant in Pickens that released PCBs decades ago to Lake Hartwell. Luckily, in data collected by the EPA every April from Town Creek by the plant "shows a 90% drop in contamination."

When data collection starts around mid-April 2012, it will start on the two-mile stretch of the river where the dams were removed. In addition to the water itself, the floodplains will be tested to determine PCB percentages in the sediments.  These places tested would likely be sandbars and other areas where picnics and children's play occur.

"Larry Dyck, who lives on the river and is a Pickens Soil and Water Conservation District commissioner, said study of wildlife also is needed. Health advisories posted on the river and Lake Hartwell warn against eating fish likely to carry PCBs. Dyck said PCBs are in the food chain and animals and birds such as raccoons and kingfishers that eat fish also are at risk."

I think Larry Dyck is right on for speaking up about the wildlife, because after studying the PCB-Hartwell-Twelve Mile case in so many cases, it really isn't just about the water.  After the animals on the upper end of the food chain eat the smaller ones, PCBs are passed around like a bad case of strep. Hopefully levels of contamination have dropped to a healthy level to gain approval to open up the area for recreation. It would open up more opportunities for Pickens to gain revenue from outside citizens.