After Almost 3 Decades, Dolphins Appeared Near Kolkata Thanks To Reduced Water Pollution

Ever since the government implemented the lockdown order, there have been many reports indicating an overall reduction in air and water pollution. As a result, animals that have disappeared from many areas years ago have made a comeback. For example, recently, Navi Mumbai residents spotted flamingos in the area. Many other animals have wandered on the streets. Clearly, the lockdown has shown great benefits, in terms of the environmental aspect.

Now, reports suggested that the Ganges Dolphin, the rare South Asian River Dolphin, was spotted swimming in Kolkata. The only freshwater dolphin has been classified as “critically endangered.” Therefore, its appearance has undoubtedly and pleasantly surprised environmentalists.

30 years ago, Gangetic dolphins regularly appeared at Ghats in Kolkata. However, because of water pollution, people stopped spotting the dolphins.

Senior environmental activist Biswajit Roy Chowdhury, who discovered the dolphins at Babughat, Kolkata said that it was the reduction in human movement and water pollution that contributed to the reappearance of the animal. The number of Gangetic dolphins globally is somewhere between 1,200 to 1,800.

The river Hoogly has seen an improvement in terms of water quality thanks to the reduced pollution as industrial activities have been stopped. In areas like Babughat as well as the city’s outskirts, wildlife photographers and environmentalists have discovered the reappearance of the endangered mammals.

The Worldwide Fund for Nature-India’s experts studied the threats to the mammal in the Hooghly river. One of the study’s most striking features was that the dolphins were actually found in the river’s highly polluted parts.

Besides pollution, the existence of dolphins was also threatened by the activities of transportation and humans.

>>> Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Navi Mumbai Residents Spot Flamingos From Their Houses