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In a groundbreaking conservation effort, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), in partnership with the Assam Forest Department and environmental organization Aaranyak, has successfully tagged a Ganges River Dolphin for the first time in Assam.
The tagged dolphin, a healthy male, was released back into the river under veterinary supervision, marking a significant leap toward understanding and protecting this iconic species.
The initiative, part of India's Project Dolphin, aims to shed light on the seasonal and migratory movements, habitat preferences, and behavior of the Ganges River Dolphin, which resides in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system.
This project is funded by the Union Environment Ministry under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
The Ganges River Dolphin, India's national aquatic animal, is known for its unique ability to navigate using echolocation, as it is nearly blind. Despite being found in large river systems, about 90% of its population resides in India, primarily within the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems.
However, over the past century, their population has seen a significant decline due to habitat fragmentation, water pollution, and human interference.
One of the key objectives of the tagging project is to bridge knowledge gaps regarding the dolphin's behavior and habitat use.
As the dolphins surface for only 5 to 30 seconds at a time, tracking and studying them have been extremely challenging for conservationists. The information gathered through this effort will enable the formulation of evidence-based conservation strategies to protect the species and its habitat.
The first-ever tagging of the Ganges River Dolphin has been hailed as a landmark step for dolphin conservation in India and aims to deepen understanding of the species' behavior and habitat needs.
This breakthrough will support the development of targeted conservation strategies, especially in fragmented river systems, addressing key challenges in preserving India’s National Aquatic Animal.
The project also holds significance for aquatic biodiversity and the livelihoods of thousands of people dependent on river ecosystems, as better knowledge of the dolphin's movements and habitat usage is expected to create lasting benefits for both the species and local communities.
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