Bronx River finally repopulated with dolphins
Photo from BBC news
The Bronx River is a body of water in the southeast region of New York. It was a common dumping ground for toxic chemical waste as well as other industrial waste, which resulted in the deterioration of the ecosystem. Many life forms including dolphins either died off or migrated to less polluted areas, which caught the attention of many environmentalists. As a result of this awareness, a lot of action was taken to bring the ecosystem of the river back to its original state. Industrial activity around the river not only decreased but the remaining industrial activity was managed and directors agreed to shift the focus of their waste deposition away from the river.
After several decades of continuous work, the pollution of the Bronx River gradually lessened, which led to the plan of repopulating the river. New York authorities took the initiative to begin a project involving the deposition of live fish into the river, which set the foundation for a healthy ecosystem, and also doubled as a lure for sea mammals to return. And just under a month ago, dolphins were finally spotted in the river, returning to their former home that they have not been to for over 5 years.
Habitat restoration is just one of many steps we must take to ensure the survival of wildlife. However, Dolphins returning to the Bronx River is a piece of encouraging evidence that the continued efforts of mankind to make amends for the damage they have caused to the environment are finally paying off and that it is not too late to start reversing the changes we have done to our environment.
Sources
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/21/dolphins-new-york-city-bronx-river
