Rescue guide for Ganges River Dolphin

02 Nov 2021 Rescue guide for Ganges River Dolphin

• The Jal Shakti Ministry has released a guide for the safe rescue and release of stranded Ganges river dolphins.
• The document has been prepared by the Turtle Survival Alliance and the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department (EFCCD) of the Uttar Pradesh Government.
• The manual is endorsed by the IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group.

About the Ganges Dolphin:

• The Ganges river dolphin is the national aquatic animal of India.
• It is listed as ‘endangered’ under the IUCN Red List Assessments, Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972), Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• The species, whose global population is estimated at 4,000, is mostly found in the Indian subcontinent.
• The Ganges river dolphin can only live in freshwater and is essentially blind.

Threats:

• The dolphins often accidentally enter canals in northern India and are unable to swim up against the gradient. They are also vulnerable to harm by people.

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