The Gangetic River Dolphin: Our national aquatic animal which is about to be extinct
Dolphins are friendly, intelligent, and beautiful, and do not attack humans. They are water mammals and give birth to milk drinking cubs. One species of this animal, the Ganges river dolphin, once lived in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. But now the species is almost extinct in these waters. The government of India declared the Gangetic river dolphin our national aquatic animal in 2009 in a bid to protect it, but this move has not worked in the absence of any policies.
What are the threats faced by the Gangetic river dolphin?
These are some of the main reasons why the river dolphins are disappearing:
- The Gangetic river dolphin lives in one of the most populated places on earth. They want to catch fish, but so do most people living along the banks of the mighty rivers. Dolphins get caught in fishing net, and are then killed. They are called ‘bycatch’, a by-product of the catch.
- In some regions, people kill dolphins on purpose to eat them and use their oil. This is a cowardly and barbaric practice, since there’s plenty of other food available
- The Ganga basin is heavily industrialised. According to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), each year about 9,000 tons of pesticides and 6 million tons of fertilizers are used and dumped into the river. Dolphins simply die of pollution at times
- More than 50 dams and other irrigation / hydel projects are crowded into the Ganga basin. The dolphins trapped in dam waters are easy prey to poachers, while baby dolphins also survive less near the dams
- River traffic kills dolphins too
Apart from these reasons, an increasing number of young river bank residents have been hunting and photographing dolphins out of fun to share on social media.
What makes the Gangetic river dolphin more vulnerable?
The Gangetic river dolphin can only live in freshwater, and has ultrasound vision. Given their poor eyesight and the muddy water around, they bump into boats easily. Dolphins give birth to only one cub at a time, that too at a gap of 2 or 3 years.
What can we do to save Gangetic river dolphins?
We can raise awareness on all levels about this beautiful, harmless and useful animal. Rivers remain healthier when they are around because they are an important part of the ecology. Only awareness can push the government towards preserving dolphins and making policies.