Guwahati: A historic milestone in wildlife conservation was achieved on Wednesday with the tagging of India’s first-ever Ganges river dolphin in Assam.
The initiative – conducted under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change – was implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, with funding from the National CAMPA Authority.
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This is the first tagging not only in India but also for the species, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of Project Dolphin.
The Ganges river dolphin, India’s national aquatic animal, is unique in its ecology, being nearly blind and relying on echolocation for its biological needs.
Approximately 90 per cent of the species’ population resides in India, historically distributed across the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems.
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However, its distribution has drastically decreased over the past century. Despite its wide range, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding this species due to its elusive behaviour.
It surfaces for only 5 to 30 seconds at a time, posing a significant challenge in understanding the ecological needs of the species and implementing scientifically sound conservation interventions.
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Under Project Dolphin, the union forest ministry has funded through the National CAMPA Authority and WII – a comprehensive rangewide research effort to develop a conservation action plan and fill existing knowledge gaps for the long-term conservation of the species.
Given that Ganges river dolphins are apex predators and serve as umbrella species for the river systems, it is important to ensure their well-being, as this will help sustain the entire river ecosystem.
Due to the paucity of information on the habitat needs, movement patterns and home-range of the Ganges river dolphin, it was decided to undertake satellite tagging of dolphins within its distribution range.
The first tagging of the species took place on Wednesday, where a healthy male river dolphin was tagged and released under the utmost veterinary care.
The tagging exercise will help in understanding their seasonal and migratory patterns, range, distribution and habitat utilisation, particularly in fragmented or disturbed river systems.
Union forest minister Bhupender Yadav expressed his happiness at sharing the news of the first-ever tagging of the Ganges river dolphin in Assam, calling it a historic milestone for both the species and the country.
“This union forest ministry and National CAMPA-funded project, led by the WII in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, will deepen our understanding of how to conserve our national aquatic animal,” Yadav added.
Director of WII Virendra R Tiwari said that tagging river dolphins will contribute to evidence-based conservation strategies, which are urgently needed for the species.
Project investigator Dr Vishnupriya Kolipakam said that this is a significant advancement in understanding the ecological needs of river dolphins, which will help conserve critical habitats within vast river ecosystems.
“This is vital not only for aquatic biodiversity but also for sustaining the livelihoods of thousands of people who depend on these resources,” Dr Kolipakam added.
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The tagging was made possible by advancements in technology. The lightweight tags emit signals compatible with Argos satellite systems, even with limited surfacing time, and are designed to minimise interference with dolphin movement.
Plans are underway to extend this initiative to other states inhabited by Ganges river dolphins, aiming to build a comprehensive understanding of their population dynamics and habitat requirements.
This monumental effort underscores India’s unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation and sets a new benchmark for the protection of endangered species.