Govt declares dolphin national animal

New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) The Indian government has
declared dolphins a national aquatic animal in order to save
the rare freshwater species from disappearing from the
country's aqua map.

"Like we have tiger as a national animal and peacock
as a national bird, we have declared dolphins as a national
aquatic animal as it represents the health of the rivers,
particularly Ganga in the country," Union Environment and
Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh told mediapersons here.

He said the decision was taken at the first meeting
of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) chaired by
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to streamline steps to
rejuvenate the river Ganga.

"Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had proposed naming
dolphins as national aquatic animal at the meeting which was
approved by the Authority," Ramesh said.

He felt that by declaring dolphins as a national
aquatic animal, the government is not only ensuring the
survival of the species which are endemic to river Ganga but
also seeking cleansing of the river.

Ramesh maintained that as the big cat is a symbol of
ecosystem in forests, the presence of river dolphin in a river
system too signifies a healthy aquatic life in freshwaters of
rivers.

"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
added.

Ramesh said henceforth the health of the river Ganga,
for which the government has big plans for its cleaning, will
be judged by the presence of the freshwater dolphins.

"We will soon work out details for the Project
Dolphins and steps to be taken under it to protect the
species," the Union Environment Minister said.

Facing grave threats due to excessive pollution in
Ganga and poaching, there are less than 2,000 dolphins left in
the country, prompting the World Conservation Union (IUCN), a
forum of conservationists, NGOs and government agencies, to
categorise it as an endangered species.

The Ganges River Dolphin is an endemic species of the
Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna river systems, extending from
the foot of the Himalayas to the tidal zone in India,
Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

It has been included in the Schedule-I of the Indian
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. PTI AJ
AM