GUWAHATI: 'Project Dolphin', which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, has raised the hope of conservationists on better protection of the aquatic mammals.
The Assam-based “Dolphin Foundation”, an NGO, said it was an important step towards ensuring the protection of dolphins, especially river dolphins, endemic to the Indian sub-continent.
According to Dr. Sujit Bairagi, founder and chairman of the Foundation, among all dolphin species, the Ganges river dolphin (Platanista Gangetica) is the main candidate that needs urgent conservation attention.
The Ganges dolphin was recognized as the State Aquatic Animal of Assam in 2008 and declared as the National Aquatic Animal of India in 2009.
“We don’t know if Project Dolphin will be similar to Project Tiger or Project Elephant. We had submitted several proposals in the past seeking its better conservation. When we talk about dolphin conservation, the Brahmaputra and Ganges water areas are so vastly spread that it doesn’t fall under any protected area,” Bairagi said.
In the Indian subcontinent, river dolphins are found in the river systems of Ganges and Brahmaputra, Meghna in Bangladesh, and Karnaphuli in Nepal. Currently, their population in India is estimated to be 3,000-3,500. The Brahmaputra has around 250-300 of them.
The dolphins survive mainly on fish but the Dolphin Foundation says the depleting population of fish in the Brahmaputra already had an adverse impact on the dolphin population.
“Now-a-days, it is very difficult to get Brahmaputra fish. The fish-breeding period is from April to July during which fishing is banned. The ban has to be enforced by the Forest Department but that is only on paper,” Bairagi said.
He said dolphins are also found at the tributaries of the Brahmaputra as they usually like to live in the confluence of rivers. He said there were various factors why the Brahmaputra dolphin population has remained stagnant.
“A major threat to the Ganges river dolphin has been the extensive damming of rivers for irrigation and electricity generation, oil exploration and underwater noise which isolates its populations and prevents seasonal migration. Siltation is also a major problem. The dolphins need a minimum depth of water,” Bairagi said.
The other threats include chemical pollution, boat traffic, hunting and human disturbances, accidental entanglement in fishing nets, poaching, etc. Poaching happens mainly for its oil (body fat) which is used as fish baits and also for its flesh by a section of local communities.
Bairagi said for effective conservation of the species, it is important to have a thorough understanding of its habitat-specific biology and behaviour. Raising awareness among communities can help in developing sensitive and informed communities. Unless people understand and appreciate why the Ganges river dolphins should be protected, it will be an uphill task to conserve them, he said.