A global initiative to rescue the world's six surviving river dolphin species is being championed by 11 Asian and South American nations. On the brink of extinction: River dolphins, which dwell in vital waterways like the Amazon and Ganges, have seen a 73% decline since the 1980s due to various threats, including pollution, habitat loss and unsustainable fishing. The recent deaths of over 150 river dolphins in the drought-ravaged Lake Tefé highlight the increasing peril posed by climate change.