Uttar Pradesh Leads India In River Dolphin Population With 40% Share
Uttar Pradesh Leads India In River Dolphin Population With 40% Share
Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the state with the highest population of river dolphins, housing 2,397 dolphins, which accounts for nearly 40% of India’s total river dolphin population, according to an official report.
The first-ever river dolphin estimation report in India was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the seventh National Wildlife Board meeting held at Gir National Park on Monday. The report reveals that India’s rivers are home to 6,327 river dolphins.
Following Uttar Pradesh, Bihar recorded the second-highest population with 2,220 dolphins, while West Bengal and Assam accounted for 815 and 635 dolphins, respectively. The extensive survey covered 28 rivers across eight states, requiring 3,150 man-days and spanning over 8,500 km.
The Uttar Pradesh government, in an official statement, credited its strong conservation efforts in protecting forests, aquatic wildlife, and the environment for this achievement. On October 17, 2023, the Ganges dolphin was officially declared the state aquatic animal of Uttar Pradesh.
Gangetic dolphins have been documented in several rivers across Uttar Pradesh, including Ganga, Yamuna, Chambal, Ghaghara, Rapti, and Gerua.
The Ganges river dolphin, known for its distinctive features, inhabits the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system and its tributaries across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. Additionally, a small population of Indus river dolphins, closely related to the Ganges dolphin, is found in India’s Indus river system.
Given their slow reproductive rate and highly threatened habitats, monitoring river dolphin populations remains essential for conservation efforts and ecosystem protection.
