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Amazon lakes overheat as record drought drives dolphin deaths – Stigmatis News

In 2023, the Amazon experienced its worst drought in recorded history, coupled with the hottest dry season on record. The extreme climate caused the surface area of Brazil’s Tefé Lake to shrink by approximately 75%, with vast sections of the lake reduced to less than 1 meter (3.3 feet) in depth. As air temperatures peaked at 39.1° Celsius (102° Fahrenheit), the little water that remained in the lake quickly overheated. The average surface water temperature for tropical lakes is around 30°C (86°F), but in 2023, Tefé Lake reached 41°C (105°F).

Using advanced hydrodynamic modeling, the researchers found that the entire water column, up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) deep, reached 40°C (104°F), leaving no refuge for animals seeking cooler temperatures.

The study focused on Tefé Lake because of the mortality event observed the same year, 2023, when more than 200 endangered Amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) and tucuxi dolphins (Sotalia fluviatilis) perished. The researchers say the deaths were likely caused by the extreme water temperatures that year. The scientists caution that with ongoing climate change, temperatures that exceed heat tolerances for aquatic species will become more common. 

Source: Amazon lakes overheat as record drought drives dolphin deaths – Stigmatis News