生存於長江的白鱀豚可能已經滅絕，而棲息在加利福尼亞灣北部的加灣鼠海豚（Vaquita）也面臨相同命運，在野外僅剩下150隻個體。聯合國4日發表的一份報告中推斷，漁具誤纏據信是造成兩物種數量減退嚴重至無法存續的原因。
確切地說，此報告發現因刺網、圍網、定置網、攔魚堰、延繩釣與拖網的誤纏與傷害致死，威脅到86%的齒鯨種類之存續。這份報告公佈於遷移性野生動物保育公約的網站上，此公約通常依據總部所在城市而被稱為波昂公約。
作者庫利克（Boris Culik）表示，相較於2001年，齒鯨由於捕魚混獲而死亡的風險大幅提高，2001年混獲影響50種齒鯨，亦即所有種類中的70.4%。
報告並發現，由於人類過漁，導致齒鯨缺乏食物而被迫改變食性，此現象另對72種齒鯨種類裡的13種構成威脅。
這份報告是經過學術審查，針對所有72種齒鯨種類所做的百科全書，涵蓋最新的科學發現，有分布、遷徙、行為，以及此一大類鯨豚所面臨的威脅。
然而根據評估，人類對於所有種類中的41種所知甚少，遑論這些物種是否受到生存威脅。
環境總署遷移性野生動物保育公約組織執行祕書姆雷瑪（Elizabeth Mrema）說道：「在國際生物多樣性年期間（2010年），遷移性物種公約組織會持續針對諸如混獲、船舶撞擊、海洋噪音衝擊與氣候變遷等主要威脅提出對策，以保護這些具有魅力的海洋哺乳動物。」
報告中包括唯一的大型齒鯨抹香鯨，以及兩種新種，澳洲短平鼻海豚（Australian snubfin dolphin）與圭亞那長吻海豚（Guiana dolphin）。
報告發現，許多齒鯨族群一度遭到獵捕而幾乎滅絕，有50種仍持續受到獵捕，通常遭補捉直至無法存續的程度。
在近年已有48種齒鯨被發現攝食塑膠垃圾，或受到逐漸增加的混合化學物汙染影響。
報告亦發現，持久性並會累積在生物體內的重金屬污染，包括汞與用於船隻防污漆的丁基錫（butyltins），以及持久性化學物如多氯聯苯與DDT的汙染，則影響到48種齒鯨，而2001年時僅為40種。
由於水壩興築與河流與湖泊淡水遭到抽取挪用，所造成的棲地退化，威脅著18種齒鯨。
船舶撞擊對14種類有嚴重影響；地質震波探勘、海洋工程計畫與軍事聲納所照成的噪音，則對海洋哺乳動物有愈來愈大的威脅。
如欲完整閱讀此報告，請點閱此連結。
The Baiji dolphin, which used to live in the Yangtze River, is probably extinct, and the Vaquita porpoise from the northern Gulf of California is facing the same fate, with only 150 individuals remaining in the wild.
Entanglement in fishing gear has claimed an unsustainably high number of both species, concludes a new United Nations report released today.
In fact, entanglement and death in gillnets, purse-seine nets, traps, weirs, longlines and trawls threatens 86 percent of all toothed whale species, finds the report, posted on the website of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, CMS, often called the Bonn Convention after its headquarters city.
This is a substantial increase in toothed whale species at risk of dying as fishing by-catch as compared to 2001, when by-catch was reported to affect 50 species or 70.4 percent of all toothed whales, says author Boris Culik.
Lack of food and forced changes in diet as a result of overfishing pose additional threats to 13 of the world's 72 toothed whale species, his report finds.
This peer-reviewed encyclopedia on all 72 species of toothed whales includes the most recent scientific findings on the distribution, migration, behavior and threats to this group of whales.
But for 41 of all toothed whales species, the assessment shows that human knowledge is too limited even to know if these species are threatened or not.
"During the International Year of Biodiversity, the Convention on Migratory Species continues to address major threats such as by-catch, ship strikes, ocean noise impacts and climate change to safeguard these charismatic marine mammals," said UNEP/CMS Executive Secretary Elizabeth Mrema.
The report includes the sperm whale as the only large toothed whale as well as the Australian snubfin dolphin and the Guiana dolphin as new species.
Many populations of toothed whales were at one point hunted almost to extinction and 50 species continue to be hunted, often at unsustainable levels, the report finds.
More recently, the ingestion of plastic debris or the effects of pollution by an ever-increasing cocktail of chemicals have been reported in 48 toothed whale species.
Pollution by persistent and bio-accumulating heavy metals, including mercury and butyltins used in anti-fouling paint for ships, as well as persistent chemicals such as PCB's, DDT and others, were found to affect 48 toothed whale species, as compared to 40 species in 2001.
Habitat degradation from dams and withdrawal of water from rivers and lakes threatens 18 species, the new report finds.
Ship strikes have a serious impact on 14 species, and noise caused by seismic explorations, marine construction projects and military sonar pose increasingly greater threats to these marine mammals.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
