| Details |
-
- Ganga River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) – Known as the “Tiger of the Ganges,” discovered in 1801.
- Declared National Aquatic Animal in 2009 and State Aquatic Animal of Assam.
- The announcement was made at the first meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
- Habitat: Around 90% of the species live in India, primarily in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems.
- Features: Blind, lives in freshwater, uses ultrasonic sounds to hunt, travels in small groups, and surface every 30-120 seconds for breathing.
|
| Importance and Threats |
- Acts as an indicator of river ecosystem health (being the apex predator).
- Threats: Unintentional killing through fishing gear, poaching for oil, habitat destruction, pollution (industrial waste, pesticides, noise).
|
| Protection Status and Government Initiatives |
Protection Status:
- IUCN: Endangered
- Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
- CMS: Appendix I
Conservation Initiatives: Project Dolphin, Vikramshila Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary (Bihar), National Ganga River Dolphin Day (October 5).
What is Project Dolphin?
- Launch: Announced by PM Narendra Modi on 15th August 2020.
- Objective: Conservation of India’s riverine and oceanic dolphins.
- Duration: 10-year initiative.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.
- Key Objectives:
- Safeguard India’s dolphin population by mitigating threats to riverine and oceanic species.
- Address conservation challenges while engaging stakeholders in dolphin conservation efforts.
|
|
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.