Following the successful first population estimation of riverine dolphins in the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems, India is now planning to conduct a similar estimation for marine dolphins.

This upcoming survey will target eco-sensitive areas to bolster conservation efforts, as marine dolphins face numerous threats, including hunting, entanglement in fishing nets, overfishing, climate change, tourism activities, toxic contamination, noise pollution, and habitat degradation among others, according to an official.

In fact, the Tamil Nadu Government announced is already implementing ‘Project Dolphin’ to strengthen the marine ecology and overall health of the marine environment.

More than nine species of marine dolphins are found in the coastal waters including four types of dolphin species in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve in the Southern State.

The famous Ganges river dolphin is found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system and its tributaries spanning across India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

A small population of the Indus river dolphin, a close relative of the Ganges river dolphin, is found in the Indus River system in India.

"Under Project Dolphin, we have completed the estimation of riverine dolphins, the first of its kind in the world. The survey, conducted over two years, covered 8,000 kilometres of the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus rivers. The results will be released soon," an official said.

The exercise, led by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), covered two species the Ganges river dolphin and the Indus river dolphin. It will provide a baseline population of riverine dolphins in India for future assessments.

A WII study found that smaller rivers in the Ganga basin are a refuge for Gangetic dolphins and contribute to habitat diversity. It identified 620 kilometers of smaller rivers as a conservation priority.

The presence of dolphins indicates a healthy river system because they require clean, flowing water to survive. Their population helps scientists assess the overall health of a river.

Some of the threats to Gangetic dolphins include unintentional killing in fishing gear, poaching for dolphin oil, habitat destruction due to development projects, pollution, and overexploitation of prey.

India launched Project Dolphin, a conservation initiative to protect dolphins in both freshwater rivers and coastal waters, in 2020.