According to Wildlife Institute of India, there are over 4000 Gangetic Dolphins which are thriving in the Ganga river basin! Interestingly, Uttar Pradesh alone houses around half of the total population, with approximately 2000 Gangetic Dolphins gracefully swimming in its waters.
The unprecedented increase in its population levels is a good sign. As it indicates that the various conservation efforts are in the right direction. Furthermore, the presence of these beautiful creatures in the Ganga river basin indicates that water is getting cleaner.
The Gangetic Dolphin were officially discovered in 1801 and are also known as Platanista Gangetica. As the name suggests, they are primarily found along the Ganga river basin. Ranging from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The Gangetic Dolphin has a long thin snout, rounded belly and large flippers. They are also known as “Susu” or “Hihu” for they are essentially blind and must surface every 30-120 secs to breathe. Thereby, making a unique “Susu” sound while exhaling. As they are essentially blind, they emit ultrasonic sounds to hunt small fishes etc.
The Gangetic Dolphins are not just beautiful and intelligent creatures but they are also reliable indicators of a health of the entire river ecosystem. Thus, the government has been taking several steps to conserve them.
Conservation Efforts…
- The Gangetic Dolphins have been accorded highest level of protection as they are listed under schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- India has designated the Gangetic river dolphins as its national aquatic animal.
- The Ministry has included Gangetic Dolphins as one of the 22 critically endangered species. As a result, its getting financial assistance from various centrally sponsored schemes like, “Development of Wildlife habitats.”
- Significant Gangetic River Dolphin habitats have been notified as Protected Areas along the Ganges River such as, the Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary, Bihar.
- The government launched the Namami Gange programme in 2014 to rejuvenate the Ganga river and its tributaries. From the Financial Year 2014-15 till 30 June 2023, they released a total sum of Rs.15,517.02 crore to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
- A comprehensive dedicated action plan (2022–2047) has been developed to conserve and protect the Gangetic Dolphins and its aquatic environments. They also determined the roles of different stakeholders and line Ministries.
- Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the government launched a dedicated programme called “Project Dolphin” in 2021, just like “Project Tiger,” to conserve and increase the Dolphin population.
- As around 2000 of its population is found in Uttar Pradesh. The government of Uttar Pradesh has established a Dolphin Sanctuary in the Chambal area. There are around 111 recorded dolphins in that region.
Overall, the relentless efforts of the government, like Project Dolphin, has increased the curiosity and awareness among the people. The Clean Ganga Mission has been successful in establishing improved coordination between locals, specialists, NGOs, and state governments. Furthermore, Namami Gange Project’s efforts to increase flow, conserve wetlands, and reduce pollution has given the Gangetic dolphin’s population a suitable home. Hope they continue to dive and thrive!