India will soon get a clear picture of its Ganges and Indus river dolphins: Centre
- October 15, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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India will soon get a clear picture of its Ganges and Indus river dolphins: Centre
Sub :Env
Sec: Species in news
Context:
- India is set to get a clearer understanding of its freshwater dolphins—the Ganges and Indus dolphins—through an 8,000-kilometre aquatic survey.
- The survey is the world’s first comprehensive assessment of dolphin populations in the region.
Key Highlights:
- Species Assessed: Ganges dolphin (Platanista gangetica) and Indus dolphin (Platanista minor).
- It will establish a baseline for dolphin populations, aiding future conservation efforts.
- Significance: River dolphins are indicators of a healthy river ecosystem. However, their populations have been in sharp decline due to pollution, habitat loss, and illegal hunting.
- Agencies Involved: Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, WII, and state forest departments from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab.
- Conservation Goals:
- Formulate a detailed strategy for conserving river and marine dolphins.
- Implement year-round monitoring of key dolphin habitats.
Decline of Dolphin Populations:
- Historical Decline: Populations of Ganges and Indus dolphins in India’s rivers have dropped by 50-60% over the last century.
- Reasons: Pollution, habitat destruction, reduced river flows, and illegal hunting (particularly for dolphin oil).
- Local Extinctions: Dolphins have disappeared from parts of the Yamuna, Ken, Betwa, and Barak rivers.
Conservation Priority:
- Project Dolphin: A key initiative, launched on August 15, 2020, aimed at securing the future of India’s river dolphins.
- Challenges: Dolphins have a slow reproductive rate, typically producing one calf every 2-3 years, making their populations highly vulnerable to environmental threats and human activities.
About the Indus Dolphin and Ganges Dolphin:
Characteristic | Indus Dolphin | Ganges Dolphin |
Scientific Name |
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Local Name |
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Habitat |
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Conservation Status (IUCN) |
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Current Population |
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Key Threats |
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Reproductive Rate |
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Conservation Challenges |
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Conservation Initiatives |
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Distinctive Features |
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Role as Ecosystem Indicator |
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Source: DTE