SOURCE – INDIAN EXPRESS
PAPER – 1 AND 3
CONTEXT – In his Independence Day Speech this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the government’s plan to launch a Project Dolphin. The proposed project is aimed at saving both river and marine dolphins
ABOUT
- Project Dolphin will be on the lines of Project Tiger, which has helped increase the tiger population.
- Special Conservation program needs to be taken up for Gangetic Dolphin which is national aquatic animal and also indicator species for the river Ganga spread over several states
- Project Dolphin is expected to be implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
GANGETIC DOLPHIN (Platanista gangetica)
- FOUND IN – The Indian subcontinent, particularly in Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems.
- Listed as ENDANGERED BY IUCN
- The Conservation Action Plan for the Ganges River Dolphin, 2010-2020, describes male dolphins as being about 2-2.2 metres long and females as a little longer at 2.4-2.6 m.
- Vikramshilla Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary was established in Bihar
- As the Gangetic dolphin is at the top of the food chain, protecting the species and its habitat will ensure conservation of aquatic lives of the river