The National Mission for Clean Ganga, the Wildlife Institute of India and the Forest Department launched the My Ganga My Dolphin campaign on the occasion of Ganga River Dolphin Day on October 5, 2020.
- A Dolphin-based ecotourism programme ‘Dolphin Safari’ was also launched at six sites along the Ganga River across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
- In the My Ganga My Dolphin campaign, Dolphin census will be conducted in the 250 km stretch from Bijnore to Narora, many community awareness campaigns will be carried out and young volunteers will be encouraged to enrol as Ganga Mitras.
- India celebrates October 5 every year as the ‘Ganga River Dolphin Day’ as this day the Ganga Dolphins were declared National Aquatic Animal in 2010.
- The Ganges river dolphin (Plantanista gangetica) can only live in freshwater and is essentially blind.
- They hunt by emitting ultrasonic sounds, which bounces off of fish and other prey, enabling them to “see” an image in their mind.
- They are frequently found alone or in small groups, and generally a mother and calf travel together. . Females are larger than males and give birth once every two to three years to only one calf.
- The Gangetic dolphin is one of five species of river dolphin found around the world. It is found mainly in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems.
- The breeding season of the Gangetic dolphin extends from January to June. They feed on several species of fishes, invertebrates etc.
- Various estimates suggest that the Gangetic dolphin population in India could be about 2,500-3,000. However, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo had told Lok Sabha last year that there were about 1,272 dolphins in Uttar Pradesh and 962 in Assam.
(Source: HT, TOI and Indian Express)
CLICK HERE FOR UPSC PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ
