Cuwahati (Assam) (India], December 19 (ANI): The Ministry Of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change FCC) conducted the first-ever Ganges River Dolphin
tagging in Assam on Wednesday.
According to an official release by MOEVCC, the initiative was implemented by the
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department
and Aaranyak. with funding from the National CAMPA Authority.
This is the first tagging, not only in India but also for the species. This milestone
marks a significant advancement Of Project Dolphin.
A healthy male river dolphin was tagged and released under utmost veterinary
care after it was decided to undertake satellite tagging Of dolphins. The tagging
exercise will help in understanding their seasonal and migratory patterns, range,
distribution, and habitat utilization, particularly in fragmented or disturbed river
systems, the release stated.
union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhuendra Vadav,
taking to X, shared this “historic” milestone.
“Happy to share the ne•ws of the first-ever tagging of Canges River Dolphin in
Assam–a historic milestone for the species and India! This M’±VCC and National
CAMPA-funded project. led by the Wi Idlife Institute Of India in collaboration with
Assam Forest Dept and Aaranyak. will deepen our understanding of conserving our
National Aquatic Animal,’ pendra Yadav wrote on X_
The Ganges giver Dolphin. India’s National Aquatic Animal. is unique in its ecology,
being nearly blind and relying on echolocation for its biological needs.
Approximately of the species’ population resides in India, historically
distributed across the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems.
However. its distribution has drastically declined over the past century. Despite its
wide range. significant knowledge gaps remain regarding this species due to its
elusive behaviour _ It surfaces for only 5-30 seconds at a time. posing a significant
challenge in understanding the ecological needs of the species and for any
scientifically sound conservation interventions, the release stated.
Under the umbrella of Project Dolphin. the MOEFCC has funded through the
National CAMPA Authority. Wildlife Institute of India. to undertake comprehensive
range-veide research to develop a conservation action plan and fill existing
knowledge gaps for the long-term conservation of the species. Given that Ganges
River Dolphins are apex predators, and serve as umbrella species for the river
systems, it is important to ensure their well-being. as it will ensure the sustenance
of the entire river ecosystem.
The tagging was made possible by advancements in technology; the lightweight
tags emit signals compatible with Argos satellite systems even with limited
surfacing time and are designed to minimize interference with dolphin movement.
Plans are underway to extend this initiative to other states inhabited by Ganges
River Dolphins to build a comprehensive understanding of their population
dynamics and habitat requirements.
This monumental effort underscores India’s unwavering commitment to wildlife
conservation and sets a new benchmark in the protection of endangered species,
the press release stated. (ANI)
