First Ever Tagging of Gangetic Dolphin in Assam Under Project Dolphin
Environment
6 min read
In a landmark effort in wildlife conservation, a male Gangetic Dolphin has been satellite tagged at Kulsi, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river in Assam. It was for the first time in India and the world that the Gangetic River Dolphin was tagged.
The tagging of India’s national aquatic animal, the Gangetic River Dolphin, is part of Project Dolphin of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to track the movement pattern of the highly endangered species.
The data collected from the tagged dolphin will help conservationists better understand the species' movement range and habitat, which will help them devise a more robust conservation plan.
Tagging of the Dolphin
The tagging of the dolphin was an initiative of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It was implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, a prominent biodiversity conservation group in Assam.
The funding for the initiative came from the National CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority).
Aim of the Tagging
Tagging of wildlife animals is one of the most preferred tools amongst wildlife scientists and conservationists to understand the movement and habitat of wildlife animals.
The Gangetic River Dolphin surfaces only for 5.30 seconds at a time. This makes it very difficult for conservationists to study their ecological needs scientifically.
To fill this knowledge gap, satellite-based tagging of the Dolphin has been done.
Scientists will now be able to gather real-time data on Dolphins' preferred migratory routes, habitats, distribution range and potential threats they face along their routes.
This will help conservationists devise a better conservation plan for the Dolphins.
Gangetic River Dolphins are indicators of a healthy river ecosystem and are considered crucial for the Gangetic ecosystem.
Hence, their conservation is of paramount importance.
About Gangetic Dolphins
The Gangetic River Dolphin (scientific name Platanista gangetica) is also known as the blind dolphin, Ganges susu or Hihu’s.
According to the Wildlife Institute of India, there are around 4000 River Dolphins in India, of which around 2000 are found in Uttar Pradesh.
The River Dolphin is not a fish but a mammal.
They are found in certain stretches of India’s Ganga-Brahmaputra-Barak river system, Nepal’s Karnali, Sapta Koshi, and Narayani rivers, and Bangladesh’s Meghna, Karnaphuli, and Sangu rivers.
The Gangetic River Dolphins are mainly found in the mainstream of the Ganga River and its tributaries, Ghaghra, Kosi, Gandak, Chambal, Rupnarayan, and Yamuna.
For details about Gangetic River Dolphins, read.
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