To save dolphins from extinction, the Union government has declared them as the national aquatic animal. The dolphins found in the Ganga are a rare species.
This decision was taken in the first meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Monday.
Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said that like the tiger as the national animal and peacock as the national bird, the government had declared dolphins as the national aquatic animal as it represented the health of the rivers, particularly the Ganga.
The proposal came from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the meeting, which was approved by the NGRBA, Mr. Ramesh said.
By doing this the government was not only ensuring the survival of the species, which are endemic to the Ganga, but also sought to cleanse the river, he said.
“Since the river dolphin is at the apex of the aquatic food chain, its presence in adequate numbers symbolises greater bio-diversity in the river system,” the Minister said. Bringing back the dolphins would be the success of the Clean Ganga Mission approved by the Authority.
Keywords: Platanista gangetica minor, Indian river dolphins, national aquatic animal, Jairam Ramesh, Nitish Kumar, National Ganga River Basin Authority,
Declared them as the national aquatic animal is great.. needs the save both dolphins & gharial both are beautiful in it own ways.. there are other aquatic animals as well which is important for food chain.. if u save the river and keep it clean, that would definitely save these animals.. stop polluting our mother nature...
DOLPHIN ARE BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL.
WE SHOULD'NT KILL THEM.
The matter of naming a species as a national animal should be decided through national debate.
The gharial is a much more endangered than the dolphin and scientifically more unique. There are mammals like the tiger and the elephant which attract most conservation attention nowadays; the gharial as a reptile would have brought much more balance to our appreciation of biodiversity values. The technical rationale behind the decision that the river dolphin is at the apex of the aquatic food chain, is unfortunately flawed. The Ganges dolphin is a forager of river-bed invertebrates and small fishes and does not occupy the apex of food chain which in fact is done by the gharial.
Though it is commendable that the Ganges River Dolphin (GRD) Platanista gangetica gangetica has been declared as the National Aquatic Animal, but I believe that it has been done in an unscientific way. First it is called as ‘Soans’ almost throughout its range in India, in Bengali it is called ‘Sushuk’. GRDs are called ‘Susu’ in Nepal and not in India, so GOI please get your basic facts right. Second, GRDs are not ‘The’ top predator in the riverine habitat. No doubt that GRDs are an ‘Endangered Species’ and they are in dire need of concerted conservation efforts. It is the most visible animal in its habitat but there are two other predators that share its habitat, which are far more sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances. They are the Gharial, Gavialis gangeticus, which is ‘Critically Endangered’ and has disappeared from 95% of its former range and smooth-coated Otters Lutrogale perspicillata whose status is not well established but have disappeared from most of its range and are now found in small pockets. These two are extremely shy and avoid humans. On the contrary, GRDs are generalist feeders and survive even where there is high degree of anthropogenic pressure. Mr. Jairam Ramesh, the Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India has compared the GRD with Tiger in the forest. If we were to make such a non-professional comparison, the closest the GRD will come is the hyena, which is also a generalist feeder and certainly not the tiger. The abundance of otters and gharials sharing the dolphin habitat have not been studied in India, but being specialist feeders they are the first to disappear on the slightest of anthropogenic disturbance. Conservation of these species will not only help the river dolphins’ survival but it is also that the presences of these two species in the river are the real indicator of the ‘health’ of the river and not only the GRDs. I have been working for the conservation of Ganges river dolphins for over 10 years in the Vikramsahila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary and can say with certainty that the approach taken by the Ministry of Environment and Forest is like ‘Barking up the wrong tree’.
Just check the data. Bihar has been the least polluting for the ganges. It's been a blessing in disguise. Kudos to Nitish Kumar who is going for small and agro-based industries and not allowing huge factories along side the Ganges.
It's a wise decision to protect the Biodiversity of our country. All Indians are bound to protect the river 'Holy Ganges' just as Britons are protecting their 'Thames'.
Its big news for me that dolphins exist in the Ganges. Best wishes to the government.
what a very excellent decision of our govt.to protect the endangered
species.
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