The conservation project Dolphin is the result of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)’s collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, with funding from the National CAMPA Authority. Project investigator Dr Vishnupriya Kolipakam of WII emphasized that satellite tagging would help in preparing a long term conservation plan in the vast river ecosystem. “Tagging of dolphins will help conserve critical habitats within these vast river ecosystems and is vital not only for aquatic biodiversity but also for sustaining thousands of people who depend on these resources,” said Kolipakam. The Ganges river dolphin, which has been chosen as India’s national aquatic animal, is unique in its ecology, being nearly blind and relying on echolocation for its biological needs. Approximately 90% of the species’ population resides in India, historically distributed across the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems. However, its distribution has drastically declined over the past century. Despite its wide range, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding this species due to its elusive behaviour. It surfaces for only 5-30 seconds at a time, posing a significant challenge in understanding the ecological needs of the species and for any scientifically sound conservation interventions.Plans are underway to extend this initiative to other states inhabited by Ganges river dolphins to build a comprehensive understanding of their population dynamics and habitat requirements.
Source link
