Indus River Dolphin Survey shows sign of breeding population of endangered aquatic species in river Beas

NEW DELHI: Number of Indus river dolphin may be negligible in India, but the first ever organised survey of this endangered aquatic species in the river Beas in Punjab last week gave a sign of “breeding population” which has potential to be multiplied in due course if properly conserved.


The survey, conducted by the WWF-India in partnership with the Punjab’s department of forests and wildlife preservation during May 3-6 period, found the population of the Indus river dolphins between five and 11.


Though the country has dolphin population in much bigger numbers elsewhere (primarily in the river Ganga and its tributaries in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and river Brahamputra in Assam), the very presence of dolphin in river Beas shows health of the river which has been supporting aquatic life.

“At least, its presence in the Beas river above the Harike barrage for 70 years indicates no decline in population of the species. The presence of a young calf (found during the survey) is also a positive sign and indicates a population that is large enough to be viable”, said Suresh Babu, director-rivers of the WWF-India.

Babu told TOI on Wednesday that the idea of the survey was also to sensitise local authorities about conserving the Indus river dolphin.

The survey was conducted across 185km stretch of the river Beas (Beas Conservation Reserve). It was started from 52 Headworks, Talwara on May 3 and ended at Harike Nooze point on May 6. The 55 km stretch of the river downstream of 52 Headworks was, however, surveyed by road due to insufficient water in the Beas. Remaining 130 km stretch was surveyed using motorboats.

According to WWF-India, the first dolphin sighting during the survey occurred at the village of Mundapind, which included an adult female with a week-old calf and a sub-adult. A second dolphin sighting occurred at the village of Karmowala (8 kilometers downstream of Mundapind) which again included an adult female with a week-old calf and a sub-adult, indicating breeding populations in the river.

“The department of forests and wildlife preservation, Punjab and the WWF-India is now preparing an Indus River Dolphin strategy with an implementation road map to secure the habitats and conserve the endangered species,” said Babu.

Though different surveys were conducted for dolphin population in Ganga-Brahamputra rivers and also in Chilika lake in the past, there is no concept of a national census as such in the case of dolphins. The WWF-India had in 2015 did one survey in river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh and estimated the population of Ganga river dolphin at 1,270.

Different estimates have put the total population of the Ganga river population somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. Similarly, population of Irrawaddy dolphins, found in Chilika lake in Odisha, is estimated at between 130 and 140.