National Dolphin Day

5 October is celebrated every year as 'National Dolphin Day' to create awareness for the conservation of dolphins. This is the second National Dolphin Day.

National Dolphin Day begins:

• On October 5, 2009, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while presiding over the first meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority, declared the Ganga dolphin as the 'National Aquatic Animal'.
• The announcement of celebrating National Dolphin Day was made by Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav during the 67th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Wildlife Board on March 25, 2022. The second ‘National Dolphin Day’ was celebrated on 5 October 2023.

Importance of Dolphin:

• Dolphins serve as ideal ecological indicators of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Healthy aquatic ecosystems help maintain the overall health of the Earth.

Ganga Dolphin: 

• Scientific name: Platanista Gangetica.
• The Ganges dolphin is one of the five main species of dolphin found in the world's rivers. This type of dolphin is mainly found in the Indian subcontinent, especially in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Indus-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems.
• Generally, male dolphins are 2 to 2.2 meters long while female dolphins are 2.4 to 2.6 meters long (according to the Ganga Dolphin Conservation Action Plan 2010-2020).
• Generally the weight of an adult Ganges dolphin is between 70 to 90 kg.
• In India, dolphins are found in the states of Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• Dolphins are classified as an 'Endangered' species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Main reasons for decreasing number of dolphins:

• Dams built on rivers affect the growth of dolphins, as these structures disrupt the flow of water. At present their numbers are decreasing rapidly. The factors affecting their presence are:
  • Single use plastic industrial pollution as water pollution,
  • Fishing Nets,
  • Accumulation of silt in rivers,
  • Hunting them to get oil.

Government efforts for conservation of Ganga dolphin:

• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Following the launch of the Ganga Action Plan in the year 1985, the Gangetic Dolphin was included in the First Schedule of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 through a notification issued by the Government on November 24, 1986. .
• The move by the government was aimed at promoting the conservation of Ganga dolphins and providing conservation facilities like wildlife sanctuaries for them.
• Vikramshila Ganga Dolphin Sanctuary in Bihar was established under this Act.
• Apart from this, the government has also prepared 'Ganga Dolphin Conservation Action Plan 2010-2020', in which the threats faced by the Ganges dolphins and the impacts of river traffic and irrigation canals etc. on their numbers have been evaluated.