India has conducted its first-ever tagging of the iconic Ganges River Dolphin in Assam, an exercise that is part of a broader effort to understand the species' seasonal and migratory patterns.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, successfully tagged a healthy male river dolphin, which was then released under veterinary care.
According to the Union Ministry of Environment, the initiative is expected to offer crucial insights into the dolphins' distribution, habitat use, and behaviour, particularly in fragmented or disturbed river systems.
The Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is a species of freshwater dolphin belonging to the Platanistidae family. It inhabits the Ganges and other connected rivers across South Asia, including India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
This species is closely related to the smaller Indus river dolphin, found in the Indus River of Pakistan and the Beas River in northwestern India.
The Ganges River Dolphin, India's national aquatic animal, is unique in its ecology. Nearly blind, it relies on echolocation for its biological needs.
Historically, the species was distributed across the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems, with India hosting about 90 per cent of the population. However, its numbers have sharply declined in recent decades.
The elusive nature of the dolphin, which surfaces for only 5-30 seconds at a time, has made it difficult to gather sufficient data on its ecological needs, hindering effective conservation strategies.
The tagging exercise will help address these knowledge gaps and guide future conservation efforts.
The tagging initiative is part of Project Dolphin, an ambitious research endeavour by the WII, which aims to develop a comprehensive conservation action plan for the species.
As apex predators, Ganges River Dolphins are considered an umbrella species for river ecosystems, making their protection critical for maintaining aquatic biodiversity.
"I am happy to share the news of the first-ever tagging of Ganges River Dolphin in Assam -- a historic milestone for the species and India! This MoEFCC and National CAMPA-funded project, led by the Wildlife Institute of India, in collaboration with Assam Forest Dept and Aaranyak, will deepen our understanding of conserving our National Aquatic Animal," said Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in a post on X.
WII Director Virendra R Tiwari expressed confidence that the dolphin tagging would provide invaluable data to support evidence-based conservation strategies. "This will contribute to efforts that are urgently needed for the species' survival," he said.
Project investigator Vishnupriya Kolipakam highlighted the importance of this research, noting that it would enhance the understanding of river dolphins’ ecological needs, which are critical for protecting the species and sustaining the communities that depend on these river ecosystems.
"This is vital not only for aquatic biodiversity but also for sustaining thousands of people who depend on these resources," she added.
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