Topics Covered: Conservation related issues.
Dolphin number dips in Chambal river
Madhya Pradesh forest department has released the latest Dolphin census report.
Key findings:
There are just 68 dolphins left in 435-kilometre-long Chambal river sanctuary which passes through three states (Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan).
Dolphins’ number in Chambal river has been reduced by 13 per cent in four years.
The decreasing trend is continuing from 2016 when there were 78 dolphins.
Reasons for the decline:
- Illegal sand mining.
- Overuse of river water.
- Changing River course.
- Inland waterways / Movement of large cargo vessels.
- Various anthropogenic / religious activities.
- Accidental killing – by catch/ fisheries related entanglements.
Key facts- Gangetic dolphin:
- Platanista gangetica has been declared endangered by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- It has rudimentary eyes. From preying to surfing, dolphins do it through ultrasonic sound.
- It is India’s national aquatic animal and is popularly known as ‘Susu’
- They are distributed across seven states in India: Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Sources: Hindustan Times.
