Tragic: Endangered dolphin dies after losing its way in a canal in WB's East Midnapore

An endangered Gangetic dolphin died on Saturday after it lost its way and strayed into a canal in a vill in coastal East Midnapore district in West Bengal on Friday. After losing its way, dolphin tragically made it into a polluted canal in East Midnapore's Mugberia. From fishing nets to plastic, it faced several obstructions on its way back causing it to move around in canal. Gangetic Dolphin is national aquatic animal of India with only 2000 or less remaining in India, making it a highly endangered species.

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'Fishing nets obstructed its path'

" dolphin had entered canal on Friday and we tried to push it back into river. We successfully did so at least 15 km downstream. But fishing nets obstructed its path", said Swagata Das, local divisional forest officer. officer blamed pollution in water to be a main reason behind dolphin t being able to go back. Ganges river dolphin was officially discovered in 1801. Ganges river dolphins once lived in Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. But species is extinct from most of its early distribution ranges.

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Reasons for dolphin losing its trajectory

Only able to live in freshwater and essentially blind, se creatures hunt by emitting ultrasonic sounds, which bounces off fish and or prey, enabling m to make an im in ir mind. This quality helps m in navigational activities as well. y are frequently found alone or in small groups, and generally a mor and calf travel toger. presence of polluted rmocol, plastic and fishing nets is being considered reason for dolphin losing its trajectory. Although, local officials assume that endangered species was unwell from before causing its death. 

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An endangered species

Gangetic dolphin is most threatened cetacean and among world's most threatened mammals. It is listed as an endangered species in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Book and as a Flagship Species by WWF. It is placed in Schedule-I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making any hunting activity related to it a criminal offence.

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