Baiji/Chinese River Dolphin/Yangtze River Dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation

In 1989, the Chinese river dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer), also called the Baiji or the Yangtze River dolphin, was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In this 5-year review, we conclude that the species is extremely close to, if not already, extinct. Because there are still periodic, undocumented sightings of the Chinese river dolphin, we do not recommend changing the endangered classification at this time. The Endangered Species Act requires us to review all listed species every five years to determine whether their status has changed.