Dead Atlantic White-Sided Dolphins in Hvalba on the Faroe Islands, killed in a drive hunt
Some dolphin species face an uncertain future, especially some river dolphin species such as the Amazon River Dolphin, and the Ganges and Yangtze River Dolphin, which are critically or seriously endangered. A 2006 survey found no individuals of the Yangtze River Dolphin, which now appears to be functionally extinct.
Pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, and other industrial and agricultural pollutants that do not disintegrate rapidly in the environment concentrate in predators including dolphin from their prey. Injuries or deaths due to collisions with boats, especially their propellers, are also common.
Various fishing methods, most notably purse seine fishing for tuna and the use of drift and gill nets, unintentionally kill many dolphins. Accidental by-catch in gill nets and incidental captures in antipredator nets that protect marine fish farms are common and pose a risk for mainly local dolphin populations.In some parts of the world such as Taiji in Japan and the Faroe Islands, dolphins are traditionally considered as food, and killed in harpoon or drive hunts. Dolphin meat is high in mercury and may thus pose a health danger to humans when consumed.
Dolphin safe labels attempt to reassure consumers that fish and other marine products have been caught in a dolphin-friendly way.
Loud underwater noises, for example resulting from naval sonar use, live firing exercises or certain offshore construction projects such as wind farms may be harmful to dolphins, increasing stress, damaging hearing and causing decompression sickness by forcing them to surface too quickly to escape the noise.
