The Indus river dolphin i.e. Platanista gangetica minor, an Endangered* species according to IUCN(International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) red list.
It is locally known as Bhullan because of its long lips, It is national mammal of Pakistan. Bhullan is not as popular as Ganga river dolphin, the national aquatic animal of India. The Beas river (tributary of Indus) is the only habitat of Bhullan.
These are one of only four river (Ganges River Dolphin, the Yangtze River Dolphin, the Indus River Dolphin and the Amazon Dolphin) dolphin species and subspecies in the world that spend all of their lives in freshwater. According to WWF, less than 2000 exist today, all in India and the lower parts of the Indus river in Pakistan.
Its numbers declined dramatically after the construction of an irrigation system.Dam-building, entanglement in fishing nets, boat traffic, and pollution have led to drastic declines in dolphin populations over several decades.
Bhullan have adapted to life in the muddy river and are functionally blind. They rely on echolocation to navigate, communicate and hunt prey including prawns, catfish and carp. It is important to ensure that there is an adequate prey base for its conservation.
From May 2-6,2018, Punjab government's department of Forests along with World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-India had conducted first organised census of Indus Dolphins and will assess the efforts needed for its conservation. It was conducted in 185 km stretch between Talwara and Harike Barrage in Beas River in Punjab. The Farmers and Fishermen are Dolphin 'Mitras' and take pride in it.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - world’s leading conservation organization for forests, food, climate, wildlife, oceans, etc.
It is locally known as Bhullan because of its long lips, It is national mammal of Pakistan. Bhullan is not as popular as Ganga river dolphin, the national aquatic animal of India. The Beas river (tributary of Indus) is the only habitat of Bhullan. These are one of only four river (Ganges River Dolphin, the Yangtze River Dolphin, the Indus River Dolphin and the Amazon Dolphin) dolphin species and subspecies in the world that spend all of their lives in freshwater. According to WWF, less than 2000 exist today, all in India and the lower parts of the Indus river in Pakistan.
Its numbers declined dramatically after the construction of an irrigation system.Dam-building, entanglement in fishing nets, boat traffic, and pollution have led to drastic declines in dolphin populations over several decades.
Bhullan have adapted to life in the muddy river and are functionally blind. They rely on echolocation to navigate, communicate and hunt prey including prawns, catfish and carp. It is important to ensure that there is an adequate prey base for its conservation.
From May 2-6,2018, Punjab government's department of Forests along with World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-India had conducted first organised census of Indus Dolphins and will assess the efforts needed for its conservation. It was conducted in 185 km stretch between Talwara and Harike Barrage in Beas River in Punjab. The Farmers and Fishermen are Dolphin 'Mitras' and take pride in it.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - world’s leading conservation organization for forests, food, climate, wildlife, oceans, etc.
Sources-
https://www.worldwildlife.org
https://www.iucn.org/content/reviving-river-dolphin
https://www.worldwildlife.org
https://www.iucn.org/content/reviving-river-dolphin
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