MUCH to the pleasure of the wildlife conservationists, a survey along Bangladesh's coast and estuaries counted about six thousand of the Irrawaddy dolphins. Their existence was believed to be under serious threat. The International Union of Conservation of Nature had put it in the list of critically endangered animals.

River dolphins, gavial (gharial) and turtles have almost been extinct from the rivers of the country.

When the list of near extinct animals is increasing it is a rare opportunity to watch river dolphins and gavial (gharial) in the rivers of Bangladesh.

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 13: The wildlife wing of the state forests department decided to seek conservation plan for highly endangered species from all the forest conservators on the Andhra Pradesh coast. Responding to a report appeared in these columns,

Sunny Sebastian

Endangered Gangetic River Dolphins can be sighted in the river in Dholpur district of Rajasthan
A rare sighting of a Gangetic river dolphin in the Chambal river.

Human interference has altered for worse eco-systems in every corner of the globe. Ironically, scientific developments have hastened its deleterious impact, with faunal and floral species bearing the brunt of man's rapacity and capacity to destroy. The number of endangered species in the Red Data Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has increased each year. Nowhere is this as tellingly visible as in Assam, once described by naturalists as a paradise for wild-life.

The last population assessment survey (2008) of the Gangetic river dolphin in the entire Brahmaputra river system has shown a marginal increase in its number. In 2005, the population of the endangered aquatic mammal was estimated at 250, which, according to the latest survey, has increased to 265.

This was disclosed by the members of Aaranyak, a non-government environmental organisation, which has been working in the field of dolphin conservation, among others, for several years.

A two-day Children's Summit, organised on the occasion of the World Environment Day by the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES), concluded here today, stated a press release. Around 300 children took out a colourful march, flagged off by Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, through the heart of Guwahati yesterday calling for protection of the highly endangered river dolphin, locally known as

The State Government today declared the endangered Gangetic river dolphin as the State Aquatic Animal. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced this during a World Environment Day celebration here today. The decision would add teeth to the conservation measures initiated by the State Government to save this endangered species, which was a longstanding demand of the various environmentalist groups across the world.

The endangered river dolphin, found in the Brahmaputra river system, was declared as the State aquatic animal of Asom today. The formal declaration was made by Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in a function organised by the State Forest department and the State Pollution Control Board to mark World Environment Day.

Researchers have identified a new species of river dolphin in the Bolivian Amazon. Locally known as bufeo, the Bolivian river dolphin (Inia boliviensis) is smaller and lighter in colour than