Time for dolphins to swim easy, with sanctuary coming up in UP

Though it has been listed under schedule one of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the World Conservation Union has declared it as endangered in 1996, the dolphin species is fast vanishing. Conservationists put its population at present around 2,500 from 4,000-5,000 in 1982. Recent studies revealed that dolphin population is declining at the rate of 10 per cent per annum.

Of the 130 to 160 dolphins killed annually on an average, as many as 100 are being butchered in the Ganges between Buxer and Farakka. If immediate preventive measures are not taken, the species may become extinct in the country by 2007, according to conservationists. TheGanga river dolphin, commonly known as Susu, is one of the four fresh water dolphins of the world. The other three are Baiji in China, Bhulan of Pakistan and Boto of Latin America.

The plan for the sanctuary — the second in the country after Vikramshila in Bihar came up to protect the Susu dolphins. The proposal to set up a dolphin sanctuary was one of the resolutions passed by the eleven member Indian River Dolphin Committee (IRDC) in July 1997.

The IRDC has chalked out a strategy to be initiated through a two year action plan beginning July 1997 to achieve its goal. The main aim is to protect dolphins from fishermen, who kill them for their oil. Dolphin oil is used by fishermen to catch fishes and also as a medicine. IRDC member secretary Sandeep Behera said that work on the plan has already started. On an experimental basis, a derivative prepared by the R K Sinha of Patna University from the intestine of the goats is now being given to fishermen as a substitute for dolphin oil.

Behera, who surveyedthe area, said the upper river Ganga strech was ideal for a sanctuary. During his study from January 25 to February 2 he found 22 dolphins between Bijnor and Narora. The average density of dolphin population in the area is even more than any of the nine protected areas declared by the government, he pointed out. “It is a suitable habitat for dolphins. There are deep pools and enough food in the form of molluscs, insects, fresh-water prawn species for their survival,” he added.

Though hunting of dolphins has been going on for centuries, conservationists say, of late, habitat degradation is mainly responsible for its depletion. Tonnes of pesticides and fertilisers used in the vicinity of the river leads to pollution and slow poisoning of the feeding grounds.