India conducts first-ever riverine dolphin population estimation exercise

New Delhi: India has conducted its first population estimation of riverine dolphins in the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems and its findings will be released soon, officials said on Monday.

The famous Ganges river dolphin is found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system and its tributaries spanning across India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. A small population of the Indus river dolphin, a close relative of the Ganges river dolphin, is found in the Indus River system in India.

"Under Project Dolphin, we have completed the estimation of riverine dolphins, the first of its kind in the world. The survey, conducted over two years, covered 8,000 kilometres of the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus rivers. The results will be released soon," an official said.

The exercise, led by the Wildlife Institute of India, covered two species -- the Ganges river dolphin and the Indus river dolphin. It will provide a baseline population of riverine dolphins in India for future assessments.

The government is also planning to conduct a population estimation of marine dolphins with a focus on eco-sensitive areas, the official said.

India launched Project Dolphin, a conservation initiative to protect dolphins in both freshwater rivers and coastal waters, in 2020. While its primary focus is on the Ganges river dolphin, native to India's river systems, the project also aims to safeguard dolphins in the country's oceans.

The presence of dolphins indicates a healthy river system because they require clean, flowing water to survive. Their population helps scientists assess the overall health of a river.