Discovery of an Ancient Giant Dolphin!

Scientists from the University of Zurich in Switzerland have discovered a new species of extinct giant river dolphins in the Amazon region of Peru. According to the journal Science Advances, "river dolphins are the rarest living whales, and most existing species are endangered." The research team uncovered fossilized remains of the largest river dolphin ever found, measuring 3.5 meters in length. The scientists named the new species Pebanista yacuruna in honor of the legendary aquatic inhabitants who lived along the shores of the Amazon. Radiocarbon dating revealed that these dolphins lived in the Amazon 16 million years ago. Team leader Aldo Benitez Palomino stated, "Sixteen million years ago, the Amazon region in Peru looked completely different from what it is today. It was a system of lakes and swamps spread across a large part of the Amazonian plain called Pebas. This natural landscape included aquatic ecosystems, wetlands, and land areas, extending across what is now Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil." However, around 10 million years ago, the Pebas system began to decline, giving way to the current Amazon region, which led to the beginning of the extinction of the giant dolphins, and subsequently the system itself. Paleontologists point out that freshwater dolphins had advanced echolocation systems, which helped them navigate through murky waters.