NORTH LAKHIMPUR, Jan 5 – Green Heritage of North Lakhimpur, a non-government organisation (NGO) spotted 26 endangered Gangetic river dolphins in downstream waters of Subansiri river during its recent annual dolphin count survey.
Locally known as the sihu, the Gangetic river dolphins (platanista gangetica) have been declared ‘critically endangered’ aquatic mammals which inhabit only major river systems such as the Ganga and Brahmaputra on the entire Indian subcontinent.
This exotic aquatic mammal is found only in the Kulshi a southern tributary and Subansiri, a north-tributary of the Brahmaputra. Its numbers are however fast dwindling due to loss of space and widespread poaching including fishing.
Though the Kulshi river has been declared a dolphin sanctuary with its resident population of Gangetic dolphins, the downstream Subansiri in Lakhimpur district has an important migratory dolphin population. A two-year continuous survey from 2007 onwards by Green Heritage discovered a resident population of Gangetic dolphins in Subansiri. This year’s survey by Green Heritage, which concluded in November, 2008 counted 26 Gangetic dolphins in Subansiri’s downstream from Chawul Dhowa Ghat to Jamuguri Ghat.
The survey project was supported by ASTEC, Guwahati and prof Lakhi Prasad Hazarika and Dr Debajeet Baruah participated as Principal Investigators. Dr Prabal Saikia, secretary general of Green Heritage, prof Himangshu Saikia and local scribe Sailen Baruah also participated in the dolphin count survey.
Early on the Green Heritage counted 21 Gangetic dolphins in Subansiri river in 2007. This time the survey found five more dolphins which show the possible increase of its population in Subansiri. The survey team found six dolphins in Jamuguri Ghat with three male adults, two female adults and one calf, three in Dhoonaguri-Lohitmukh area with one male adult, female adult and calf-juvenile each and another three with same count in Dhoonaguri Ghat, two male and female adults at Pabha, one female adult and one calf at Khabalu Ghat.
The count at Gahagarmukh included one male adult, two female adults and baby dolphin in Aalisiga, two male adults and one female adult at Gahagarmukh, one adult male and female each in Hatiemara and one adult male dolphin in Katori Chapari. Green Heritage also distributed awareness literature among local people settled by the riverside about dolphin conservation during the survey.
