A group of scientists from the University of Zurich and the University of Bristol announced the possible imminent extinction of dolphins due to global warming. The study is published in the journal Current Biology, reported on the University of Bristol website.
Scientists have studied the impact of the 2011 warming that swept western Australia on dolphin reproduction. They found that a four degrees Celsius rise in temperature in Shark Bay led to the death of a large part of the seaweed, which is the basis of the local ecosystem.
In this regard, after 2011, the "survival rate" of dolphins has decreased by 12 percent, and the birth rate of these mammals has also decreased. In addition, experts recorded an increase in mortality among newborns and a later onset of puberty.
At the same time, those dolphins that get food at depths were not so badly affected by the heat wave. However, according to scientists, their findings provide new reasons for concern, since in the long term, higher temperatures could lead to the complete extinction of these animals.