Project Dolphin

Project Dolphin

• According to a recent study, human-generated noise makes it more difficult for dolphins to coordinate and communicate with one another.
• These creatures had to "shout" to one another as the underwater noise levels rise.

About dolphins:

• Dolphins are creatures of the aquatic ecosystem. They can be discovered in fresh, brackish, and saltwater.
• There have been reports of 15 different species of marine and harbor dolphins from the oceans and shores of India.
• Furthermore, the brackish waters of Odisha are home to Irrawaddy Dolphins and Punjab rivers are home to Indus Dolphins.
• The Ganges River and its tributaries are home to the freshwater dolphin known as the Gangetic Dolphin.
• The male dolphins as being about 2-2.2 meters long and the females as a little longer at 2.4-2.6 m.
• An adult dolphin could weigh between 70 kg and 90 kg.
• The breeding season of the Gangetic dolphin extends from January to June. They feed on several species of fish, invertebrates, etc.
• The Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 lists all freshwater, brackish water, and marine dolphins (cetaceans) in Schedule-I, giving them the greatest protection against hunting.

About Project Dolphin:

• At the National Ganga Council's (NGC) first meeting in 2019, which was presided over by the Prime Minister, the initiative gained preliminary approval.
• One of the planned activities for Arth Ganga, the government's ambitious inter-ministerial program approved in 2019, is Project Dolphin.
• Similar to Project Tiger, which has aided in the growth of the tiger population, Project Dolphin will do the same.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change is anticipated to carry it out.
• The Gangetic Dolphin, a national aquatic species and an indicator species for the Ganga River that flows through numerous states require a special conservation program.
• Indicator species are living things, typically bacteria or plants, that act as proxies for the local environment.

Threat to dolphins:

• Bycatch of Gangetic River dolphins is a threat because both people and dolphins choose areas of the river where there are lots of fish and a slow current. As a result, there are now fewer fish for human consumption and more dolphin deaths through accidental entanglement in fishing nets.
• Single-use plastics being dumped in bodies of water, industrial contamination, and fishing are just a few of the challenges it confronts from pollution.
• Dolphins are also hunted for their flesh, fat, and oil, which is used to make ointments, as a substitute for fish as bait, and as a purported aphrodisiac.
• Water Restrictive Flow: Since dams and other irrigation-related constructions limit their ability to move to new locations, they are more vulnerable to inbreeding and other dangers.

Conservation Status of Gangetic Dolphin:

• Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
• International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Endangered
• Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): Most endangered
• Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) - migratory species that need conservation and management or would significantly benefit from international cooperation.