Some whales, dolphins and porpoises are now so endangered they could vanish within a decade, scientists say.

The warning comes from an international group of cetacean experts at IUCN-The World Conservation Union.

They say species like the baiji (the Yangtze River dolphin) are unlikely to last for another 10 years.

Other small cetaceans and several of the great whale species are almost as endangered, they believe.

The experts issue their warning in Dolphins, Whales and Porpoises: 2002-2010 Conservation Action Plan for the World's Cetaceans.

The plan is the third of three written by IUCN's Cetacean Specialist Group (CSG) in the last 15 years.

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