In the river in India live 6000 dolphins

The longest and most holy river in India, Gang, lives thousands of dolphins. But their survival is threatened.

But this is not the way those in the oceans. They will not jump out of the water into entertainment arcs; The surface for long intervals or swim in upright position. Instead, they swim sideways, spend most of their time underwater, have long muzzles and almost completely blind.

These are gacze dolphins, the species of the Dolphin river – and the national water animal of India – which are mostly found in the Gang Brachmaputra system in the northern part of the country.

A new poll reveals that about 6327 dolphins on the river are conducted in the India rivers – 6 324 gackets and only three Indo dolphins. Most indols are found in Pakistan when the river passes through both South Asia countries.

Both of these species of dolphins are classified as “endangered” by the International Union for Prodces (IUCN).

Researchers from the Indian Wildlife Institute surveyed 58 rivers in 10 states between 2021 and 2023 to produce the first comprehensive count of India’s Dolphins.

The origins of the dolphin rivers are as entertaining as the creatures themselves. Scientists, who are often called “live fossils”, they developed from marine ancestors.

When the sea once flooded the lowland sections of South Asia, these dolphins moved deep into the country – and when the waters retreated, they remained. Over time, they adapted to the muddy, shallow rivers that developed the features that distinguished them from the cousins ​​that live in the ocean.

Experts say the new survey is crucial for the tracking of the population dolphins. Since 1980, at least 500 dolphins died – many have accidentally got into fishing networks or intentionally killed – emphasizing the constant threat to this species.

Environmentalist Rabyndra Kumar Sing says that by the beginning of the 2000s, there were very few rivers dolphins.

In 2009, the dolphin of the Gunetic River was declared a national water animal to preserve. Steps such as an action plan and a specialized scientific and research center in 2024 helped to revive their numbers.

However, environmental guards say that it takes a long way.

Dolphins continue to not be scared for the pulp and abomination, from which the oil is extracted for use as a fishing bait. Other times, they face the beds or get into the fishing lines and die.

Kelkar’s stuffing from The Trust Wildlife Trust told the Sanctuary Asia magazine that many fishermen often did not report the accidental death of dolphins for fear of legal problems.

According to the laws of Indian wildlife, random or focused dolphins are considered “hunting” and carry strict punishment. As a result, many bad fishermen calmly dispose of carcasses to avoid penalties.

The Cruise River, which has taken in India over the last decade, has even more threatened their habitat. Dozens of cruise trips work on both the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers.

“Undoubtedly, the violations of the cruise will seriously affect the dolphins that are sensitive to the noise,” – environmentalist Rabyndra Kumar Sing detach Guardian newspaper.

Mr. Sing believes that increasing the ship’s traffic can push gangetical dolphins to extinct as it was done before dolphins Baji in the Chinese Yangtze River.

River dolphins face threats partly thanks to their own evolution. Almost blind, they count on echolocation – highly indicated sound impulses that bounce off objects and return as an echo – for navigation with muddy waters. Although this trait corresponds to their habitat, it also makes them vulnerable to modern threats.

Their poor vision and slow swimming speed make dolphins on the river, especially prone to beds and other obstacles. Joining their vulnerability, this is their slow reproductive cycle – they ripen between the ages of six and 10 years, and women usually give birth only one calf every two years.

But Mr. Sing hopes for the future of river dolphins in India. “Government initiatives have played a big role in preserving the dolphins. Much has been done, but there is still a lot to do,” he says.