Scientists Join Hands To Save Dolphins From Extinction
Dolphin, the national aquatic animal of India which represents the purity of river Ganga as it survive only in pure and fresh water is under the threat of extinction. Scientists of several educational institutes including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi have joined hands to save the endangered aquatic mammal species.
Different teams of scientist have now started study on this human friendly species by putting various kinds of instruments inside the river.Forest Ranger Dr Kamal Kishor here yesterday said, the gangetic dolphins were facing threat of extinction as the poachers hunt them for libido increasing medicines, recklessly.
According to a recent survey conducted in Yamuna, Betwa, Chambal, Kane, Son, Ganga and Ghaghra rivers it was found that only 2,000 dolphins are left in the country.The 86 kilometer area of Ganga river was announced as the World Heritage in 1972 by the Union government and then Dolphins floated in it, Dr Kishor said.
He added that, since then it had been speculated that there may be the hands of poachers from China and Hong Kong behind the decreasing numbers of these aquatic mammals.Secretary of the Saviors organisation Swati Sharma here said, the gangetic dolphins can be seen in Ganga and Bramhaputra rivers of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
These dolphins wander between Meerut, Bijnore, Moradabad, Brajghat and Bulandshahr.A 165-kilometer long protected area has been made from the Bijnore Barrage to Narora Barrage of Bulandshahr to conserve dolphins while the 86 kilometer long area from Garh to Naraura has been declared as Ramras zone where breeding of dolphins takes place.
The Ramras zone has also been declared as the world heritage site.Kunjan Rai Chaudhary, a research scholar here said that, the mortality rate of dolphins has crossed the double digit figure, which is now a major cause of concern.
He also said besides hunting the animal for its use in libido increasing medicines and skin the mammals are also dying due to the increasing pollution in Ganga river. Chaudhary added that the increasing numbers of barrages being built on the Ganga river was also a major cause of threat for the dolphins as the pollution is increasing day by day, resulting in lowering the water level of the river.
Poachers have started using the nylon fish nets as they cannot see with their eyes and use infrared waves technology to see, the waves do not return after it collides with the fish nets and they easily fall prey to the poachers, added Chaudhary.