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Fresh water dolphins in the Ganges River are in dire straits according to a recent study by the IUCN Sir Peter Scott Fund project. Estimates have put the total population of the Ganges River Dolphins at around 2,000. Out of these, between 240 to 300 inhabit the Brahmaputra River system in India. This dolphin is among the four freshwater dolphins found in the world - the other three are the baiji found in the Yangtze river in China, the bhulan of the Indus in Pakistan and the boto of the Amazon River in Latin America according to World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Threats to the River Dolphin
One of the major issues facing the dolphin is that they're blind and inhabit one of the most densely populated areas of the world. As a result the dolphin often falls victim to fish nets. Additionally, the dolphins are poached for oil. What's more, a move toward water diversion and dam construction in the past decade in India has diverted crucial water away from the dolphin's habitat.
The new IUCN study was prompted by another immediate threat to the dolphins. Oil India Ltd. proposed to start prospecting for oil along the bed of the Brahmaputra River using air guns and explosives and further endangering the plight of this incredibly docile dolphin and degrading its habitat.
What Needs to Be Done
In addition to the obvious problem of oil exploration, this 30-mile segment of the Ganges in Bihar, a province in northwest India, was declared a sanctuary in 1991, but fishermen still poach for dolphins or accidentally kill them with fishing nets there. Environmental groups are working to ?transform the sanctuary from one that exists only on paper to one that provides effective protection to dolphins.?
How to Get Involved
Both the WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are working to save these stunning creatures and you can help by getting involved with the organizations. Become a partner in conservation for WWF or join the conservation network and get constant updates on the plight of the Ganges River Dolphin as well as other endangered species. You can also either join or simply support IUCN in its goal to protect their critically important habitat.
