Assam’s first-ever Ganga’s River Dolphin was geotagged as a significant conservation effort, announced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. He described it as a “historic milestone” for the protection of India’s National Aquatic Animal while sharing the news on X. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), working with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, is conducting the tagging as part of a project supported by the MoEFCC and the National CAMPA.

A healthy male dolphin that had been tagged was released with close veterinarian supervision. Important information on the species’ distribution, migratory habits, and habitat use—particularly in fragmented river systems—will be made available by this project.

Ganga’s River Dolphin Geotagged: Project Dolphin and National Conservation

Project Dolphin was started in 2020 with the goal of protecting the Ganges River Dolphin and its habitat. In order to enhance local communities’ standard of living, the program uses contemporary technologies for population counting and anti-poaching operations. The species, which depends on echolocation and is nearly blind, is a marker of the health of the Ganga ecosystem, but its range has significantly shrunk during the last century.

The Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Karnaphuli river basins in India are home to over 90% of the Ganges River Dolphins. Nevertheless, because of their opaque nature, knowledge gaps continue to exist. As a result, tagging activities such as these are essential for creating conservation plans that are grounded in facts.

Also Read: Human Activities Degrading Freshwater Biodiversity Faster Than Terrestrial: IPBES Nexus Report

Significance of Awareness and Conservation Milestones

To raise awareness of the ecological significance of the species, the MoEFCC designated October 5 as National Dolphin Day in 2022. The IUCN Red List lists the Ganges River Dolphin as endangered. It is an umbrella species for river systems and an apex predator.

Virendra R. Tiwari, the director of WII, praised the tagging effort as an important conservation achievement. Understanding river dolphins’ ecological requirements is crucial for protecting key habitats. This would not only enhance biodiversity but also improve the standard of living for communities dependent on these aquatic systems, according to project investigator Vishnupriya Kolipakam.

Also Read: India’s E-Waste Surges By 73% Over The Last 5 Years: Report