Rivers in India are home to 6000 dolphins

The longest and largest river in India, Ganges, is the home of thousands of dolphins. But their survival is threatened.

But these are not like those found in the oceans. They do not jump from the water in spectacular arcs; surface for long intervals or swim in an upright position. Instead, they swim away, spend much of their time under water, have long muzzles and are almost completely blind.

These are gangtic dolphins, a type of river dolphin – and a national aquatic animal of India – which is largely found in the Ganga -Brahmaputra River system in the northern part of the country.

A new study found that the rivers in India host about 6 327 river dolphins – 6,324 gangtic and only three dolphites per Ind. The greater part of the Indus dolphins are located in Pakistan as the river flows through both sides of South Asia.

Both types of dolphins are classified as “endangered” by the International Union for Nature Protection (IUCN).

Researchers at the Institute of Wildlife in India have been exploring 58 rivers in 10 states between 2021 and 2023 to prepare the first total number of river dolphins in India.

The origin of river dolphins is as compelling as the beings themselves. Often called “living fossils”, they develop from marine ancestors millions of years ago, scientists say.

When the sea once flooded the low regions of South Asia, these dolphins were moving inside – and when the waters retreated, they remained. Over time, they adapted to cloudy, shallow rivers, developing features that separate them from their cousins ​​walking around the ocean.

Experts say the new study is crucial to tracking river dolphin populations. Since 1980, at least 500 dulfins have died – they have been very accidentally caught in fishing nets or killed deliberately – emphasizing the ongoing threat to the species.

The conservation Ravindra Kumar Sinha says that by the beginning of the 2000s there was very little awareness of river dolphins.

In 2009, the Gangetic River dolphin was named India’s national water animal to enhance conservation. Steps as an action plan in 2020 and a specialized research center in 2024. Since then, they have helped to revive its number.

However, environmentalists say there is still a long way.

Dolphins continue to be poaching for their flesh and bladder, from which oil is extracted to be used as a fishing bait. Another time, they are confronted with boats or caught in fishing lines and die.

Nachiket Kelkar from the wildlife Trust told Sanctuary Asia magazine that many fishermen often do not report casual dolphin deaths, fearing legitimate problems.

According to Indian laws of wildlife, casual or targeted dolphin killings are treated as “hunting” and bear strict punishments. As a result, many poor fishermen quietly throw the carcasses to avoid fines.

The River Cruise Tourism, which has gathered in India over the past decade, has further threatened their habitat. Dozens of cruise trips work on both the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers.

“There is no doubt that cruise disturbances will seriously affect dolphins that are sensitive to noise,” environmentalist Ravindra Kumar Sinha to say The Guardian.

Sinha believes that increased traffic on the ship can push gangtic dolphins to disappear, similar to Baji Dolphins in the Yangtze River in China.

River dolphins face threats partly because of their own evolution. Almost blind, they rely on echolocation – high quality sound impulses that bounce out of objects and return as an echo – to navigate in cloudy waters. While this trait corresponds to their habitat, it also makes them vulnerable to modern threats.

Their poor vision and slow swimming speed make river dolphins especially predisposed to clashes with boats and other obstacles. Adding their vulnerability is their slow reproductive cycle – they ripen between six and 10 years old, and women usually give birth to only one calf every two to three years.

But Sinha hopes for the future of river dolphins in India. “Government initiatives played a big role in saving dolphins. It has been done a lot, but it remains to be done,” he says.