Marking a pivotal moment in biodiversity efforts, India’s sophomore dolphin census unfolds, with Bijnor heralding the start of this expansive river patrol. Focused on the revered Gangetic dolphin, the drive seeks precise demographics to combat decline.
Backed by the Ministry of Environment and WII, hundreds of enumerators fan out along 8,000 km of waterways. Double-observer protocols minimize errors, while environmental DNA sampling offers novel population genetics insights.
These freshwater cetaceans, navigating by sonar in murky depths, embody river vitality. Anthropogenic pressures—industrial effluents, overfishing, vessel strikes—have halved numbers since the 1980s. Round one hinted at stabilization, but granular data is essential.
Bijnor’s Ganga stretch, teeming with juveniles, exemplifies ideal survey terrain. Volunteers, including fishermen-turned-guardians, contribute invaluable local knowledge. ‘Dolphins signal clean rivers; their count guides our cleanup,’ said local activist Meera Joshi.
Innovations shine: satellite-linked buoys track movements, VR training sharpens spotter skills. Interstate data hubs ensure uniformity. Public campaigns via social media crowdsource photos, verified by experts.
As surveys scale up, calls grow for ‘Dolphin Highways’—free-flow corridors bypassing weirs. With climate change altering flows, adaptive strategies loom large. This census culminates in policy blueprints, pledging a future where dolphins’ clicks echo freely across India’s lifelines.