The Yangtze River dolphin lived in an 1,100 mile section of the Yangtze River in China for about 20 million years. Although the baiji were hunted in historical times for its liver for traditional medicine, its numbers held around 3,000 - 5,000. These numbers remained steady into the 1900's. The decline of the baiji increased dramatically as changes began along the Yangtze River. Between the 1950's - 1970's the population dropped from 5,000 to only a few hundred. There were several reasons for the dramatic population decline. As the Chinese population along the river skyrocketed, so did the number of fishermen. Some dolphins were struck by boats, but many more died due to the fishing methods that were developed and used during this time frame. Lines of many hooks strung across the river snagged the baiji as they swam. Trawl nets pulled between two boats with a net in the middle ensnared many more dolphins. The development of the electric fishing nets really took a toll on the baiji population. This technique was outlawed in 2000. It is estimated that in the 1990's, 40% of the baiji population were killed by this fishing technique. The real killer was starvation brought on by overfishing. This was especially true of young dolphins when they transitioned from milk to catching fish on their own. Many dolphin deaths were during this crucial developmental period. Although there are laws against overfishing and certain fishing techniques, most fishermen were willing to risk it because the profit potential was so great. Another major factor that devastated the baiji was the way that Chinese population growth caused changes to the river itself. 12% of the world's population, approximately 1 billion people, live along the Yangtze River and with that population increase, so did the need for development. There was an increase of pollution in the river affecting the river ecosystems. As industrialization moved into the area, cities grew along the shores of the Yangtze. This led to erosion in the river habitat and increased sediment in the rivers. It also affected the fish population. Tha baiji and the Yangtze finless porpoise lived in the rivers and in several fresh water lakes like Jiangxi and Poyang Lake. The problem in these more isolated places is dredging. In order to make concrete to build new cities and dams, sand was needed. This led to dredging of sand in many places including the lakes along the Yangtze. The dredging disturbed the fish breeding grounds, again impacting the dolphins' prey. In the 1950's the population was around 5,000. By the 1970's that number had dropped to hundreds. In 1975, China made laws protecting the baiji. By 1984 the population dropped to 400. By 1997 the population had dropped to 13. In the early 2000's electric fishing nets were banned, though enforcing the ban proved difficult. Qiqi, the famous baiji, was caught in a fisherman's net and brought to the Institute of Hydrobiology in Wuhan in 1980. Qiqi lived for 22 years in captivity before his death in 2002. The last wild Yangtze River dolphin was spotted in August of 2004. An extensive search for the baiji was conducted in 2006 with no reported sightings. In 2006, the Yangtze River dolphin was declared to be extinct, marking the tragic end to a river dolphin that had nowhere to go to avoid human development. Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. The Yangtze River dolphin might be a candidate. Scientists would potentially use DNA from Qiqi or the remaining skins and specimens at museums. If the baiji was brought to life, could it ever be reintroduced to its native homeland in the Yangtze River in China? While there were many efforts to protect the baiji's environment in its lifetime, the population boom and other environmental issues they faced are still unresolved. The critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise's numbers continue to dwindle under current pressures. It has adapted to stay close to cities where fishing is banned and nets aren't used to survive living alongside people. Their smaller size gives them an advantage over the larger baiji. The economic and population growth along the Yangtze River continue to put great pressure on many creatures that call the Yangtze area of China home. If the baiji were brought back today, could it still thrive in the Yangtze River or would it be limited to aquariums?