Mention name of a dolphin and the mind starts picturing a peaceful aquatic animal. But off late reckless hunting of these and many other aquatic animals has made the situation threatening. However, the good news is that the population of the endangered Gangetic river dolphins is very much stable in Indian state of Bihar over the last six years. These were the findings of a census condicted in the state and are inclusive of the accidental and intentional killings of the dolphins in the rivers.
The state Dolphin Conservation Committee has revealed that as per the latest dolphin count and survey the population of this endangered mammal is stable.
“This indeed is good news for just about everyone from conservationists to environmentalists, as the population remains unchanged for the entire stretch of 650kms in the state” quoted RK Sinha, an expert on Gangetic river dolphins and Chairman of the Dolphin Conservation Committee of the state.
According to the survey conducted by the authorities in the 500km stretch of the river Ganga, 1.5 dolphins per kilometer on concentration parameters were seen. While, river Gandak showed the presence of 0.55 dolphins per kilometer. These numbers were similar to the survey conducted in 2006.
The committee said that the stable count of dolphins had not just been good but also very encouraging. Inspite of bio-degradation of habitat and other threats to their survival, the dolphins were breeding well and hence have managed to maintain a steady population.
Sinha also mentioned that the survey registered about 775 to 800 sightings of dolphins in the Ganges between Chausa and Sahebganj in Bihar. About 88 sightings of dolphins were recorded in river Gandak.
India’s Pride
The Gangetic river dolphin belongs to the four freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other three in this category are found in the Yangtze River in China, the Amazon River in South America and the Indus River in Pakistan.
These mammals are covered under the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act and have been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In 2012, the Bihar government decided to set up a task force for the conservation of these endangered mammals.
2013 saw a Gangetic dolphin research centre, the first of its kind in the country, set up in Patna. The Gangetic river species – found in India, Bangladesh and Nepal is unique in its habitat since they are blind and find their way and prey in the river waters through echolocation.
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