India’s rivers are home to 6,000 dolphins

The longest and most holy river in India has thousands of dolphins. But their survival is threatened.

But these are not the same as being found in the sea. They do not jump out of the water in a wonderful arc. Swim to the surface or straight position at a long interval. Instead, they swim to the side, spend a lot of time in the hand, and have a long snout and almost completely blinded.

These are renewal dolphins, the species of the river dolphin river and the national aquatic animals in India.

According to a new survey, the Indian river hosts about 6,327 river dolphins (6,324 gangtics and three Indus dolphins, and the majority of Indus dolphins are found in Pakistan as the rivers flow through South Asia.

These two dolphin species are classified as “endangered” by the International Nature Conservation Union (IUCN).

Researchers at the Wildlife Institute of India surveyed 58 rivers in 10 states between 2021 and 2023, producing the first comprehensive number of dolphins in the Indian river.

The origin of the river dolphin is as attractive as the creature itself. Often called “living fossils,” they evolved from marine ancestors millions of years ago, scientists say.

When the sea once flooded the lowland area of ​​South Asia, the dolphin moved to inland and they stayed when the water retreated. Over time, they adapted to the dark shallow rivers and developed a characteristic that differentiated them from the residential cousin.

Experts say that a new survey is important for tracking the population of the river dolphin. At least 500 dolphins have died since 1980.

Conservative Ravindra Kumar Sinha said that there was little awareness of river dolphins until the early 2000s.

In 2009, the Gangetic River Dolphin was declared as an Indian national aquatic animal to strengthen its preservation. Steps like the 2020 behavior plan and the 2024 dedicated research center helped to revive the number.

But conservators say that there is still a long way to go.

Dolphins continue to boil with flesh and blueber. In other cases, they collide with the boat or catch a fishing line and die.

Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Nachiket Kelkar said that many fishermen in the sanctuary Asian magazines have not reported the accidental death of dolphins who are often afraid of legal problems.

Dolphin murders that are accidental or targeted according to Indian wild animal laws are treated as “hunting” and are strictly punished. As a result, many poor fishermen quietly dispose of the body to avoid fines.

River Cruise Tourism, which has been picked up in India over the past decade, has further threatened their habitat. Dozens of cruise trips are operated on the Ganges and the Bramma Putra River.

“There is no doubt that the disturbance of the cruise will have a great influence on dolphins that are sensitive to noise.” Sayed Guardian newspaper.

SINHA believes that as the traffic volume increases, the gangtic dolphin can be extinct, as with China’s yangtze river’s Baiji Dolphins.

The river dolphin faces the threat partially due to his evolution. Almost blindly, they rely on repercussions -they rely on high pitching pulses that fry objects and return to eco and explore dark water. This characteristic is suitable for habitats but vulnerable to modern threats.

If you have bad vision and slow swimming, the river dolphin is especially easy to collide with boats and other obstacles. It is a slow reproductive cycle that adds to their vulnerability. Mature between 6 and 10 years of age and women generally produce one calf every two to three years.

But SINHA is hopeful for the future of dolphins in India. “Government initiatives have played a big role in saving dolphins. Many things have done, but much more work should continue,” he said.