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Amazon lake heatwave kills hundreds of dolphins amid climate crisis
(MENAFN) A new study has revealed that extreme heat and prolonged drought transformed an Amazon lake into water hotter than a jacuzzi, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of dolphins and highlighting the growing impact of climate change on tropical ecosystems.
Researchers, led by hydrologist Ayan Fleischmann from Brazil’s Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, reported that in September 2023, surface temperatures in Lake Tefé soared to 105.8 °F (41 °C) — hotter than most spa baths. “You couldn’t put your finger in the water,” Fleischmann told CBS News, describing the shocking conditions. He also noted the emotional toll of witnessing the carcasses of endangered pink dolphins and tucuxis scattered along the lake.
Published Thursday in Science and reported by a news agency, the study examined ten Amazonian lakes and found that five of them experienced unprecedented daytime temperatures exceeding 37 °C. Lake Tefé itself saw its surface area shrink by 75%. The researchers’ modeling indicated that a combination of strong solar radiation, shallow water depth, and weak winds trapped heat in the stagnant waters, creating deadly conditions for aquatic life.
According to WWF Brazil, 153 dolphins were found dead in just one week in September 2023.
“The climate emergency is here, there is no doubt about it,” Fleischmann warned, calling for long-term lake monitoring and the inclusion of Indigenous and riverine communities in climate adaptation strategies.
David Hannah, a co-author of a related study from the University of Birmingham, added, “Rising river water temperatures can have significant and often detrimental implications for aquatic life,” emphasizing that such events are not only ecological crises but also threats to the livelihoods of local communities that depend on these waters.
The study’s publication coincides with the opening of the UN COP30 climate summit in Brazil, underscoring how warming waters are already disrupting the Amazon’s delicate ecosystems and highlighting the urgency of global climate action.
Researchers, led by hydrologist Ayan Fleischmann from Brazil’s Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, reported that in September 2023, surface temperatures in Lake Tefé soared to 105.8 °F (41 °C) — hotter than most spa baths. “You couldn’t put your finger in the water,” Fleischmann told CBS News, describing the shocking conditions. He also noted the emotional toll of witnessing the carcasses of endangered pink dolphins and tucuxis scattered along the lake.
Published Thursday in Science and reported by a news agency, the study examined ten Amazonian lakes and found that five of them experienced unprecedented daytime temperatures exceeding 37 °C. Lake Tefé itself saw its surface area shrink by 75%. The researchers’ modeling indicated that a combination of strong solar radiation, shallow water depth, and weak winds trapped heat in the stagnant waters, creating deadly conditions for aquatic life.
According to WWF Brazil, 153 dolphins were found dead in just one week in September 2023.
“The climate emergency is here, there is no doubt about it,” Fleischmann warned, calling for long-term lake monitoring and the inclusion of Indigenous and riverine communities in climate adaptation strategies.
David Hannah, a co-author of a related study from the University of Birmingham, added, “Rising river water temperatures can have significant and often detrimental implications for aquatic life,” emphasizing that such events are not only ecological crises but also threats to the livelihoods of local communities that depend on these waters.
The study’s publication coincides with the opening of the UN COP30 climate summit in Brazil, underscoring how warming waters are already disrupting the Amazon’s delicate ecosystems and highlighting the urgency of global climate action.
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