The coronavirus lockdowns continue to positively affect the animal kingdom; rare dolphins have been spotted for the first time in years in the waters around Hong Kong.
Sightings of the rare pink dolphin have risen by 30 per cent since boat and ferry traffic round the island was suspended in March. It is thought that there are less than 2,500 animals left in the wild. The animals have been hard hit by overfishing, water pollution and ferry and boat lanes.
Scientists have taken advantage of the quieter lockdown measures to drop microphones from boats to monitor the animals, as well as using drones to monitor the dolphins. movements.
Research shows that the pink dolphins took advantage of the peace and quiet, which could lead to the population bouncing back from the brink of extinction.
“What we have noticed since the ferries have stopped in this area is dolphins we hadn’t seen for four, five, six years are back in the Hong Kong habitat, so it seems very quickly that the dolphins have come back into this waterway,” said marine scientist Lindsay Porter to The Independent.
“Normally this entire area would be full of fast ferries taking people from Hong Kong to Macau and back again. Since the Covid pandemic started in Macau and a lot of areas have had restricted travel, the fast ferries have stopped. And these waters have become very, very quiet.”
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