Historic First Ganges River Dolphin Tagging in Assam Marks Milestone in Conservation Efforts
In a groundbreaking development for wildlife conservation in Assam, a Ganges River Dolphin has been tagged for the first time in the state. This significant achievement is the result of a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the National CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority), and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), alongside local partners including the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, a wildlife NGO based in Assam.
The tagging of the dolphin is a major step forward in understanding and conserving the Ganges River Dolphin, which has faced a significant decline in population over recent years due to habitat loss, pollution, and other environmental threats. The project is aimed at improving the understanding of the species’ behavior, movement patterns, and habitat use, which will help in developing more effective conservation strategies.
Union Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, shared the news on his official social media handle, expressing his enthusiasm about the milestone. He said, “Happy to share the news of the first-ever tagging of Ganges River Dolphin in Assam—a historic milestone for the species and India!”
The initiative, funded by MoEFCC and National CAMPA, is expected to provide valuable data that can help in the long-term conservation of the Ganges River Dolphin, which is also India’s National Aquatic Animal. Yadav emphasized that this project, led by WII in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, will deepen the understanding of how to protect this endangered species.
Once widely distributed across the major river systems of the Indian subcontinent, the Ganges River Dolphin has seen its numbers drastically decrease. The success of this tagging effort is a hopeful sign for the species’ future in Assam and across India.
