October 5th is observed as Ganga River Dolphin Day and it is celebrated every year to create awareness among people about our National Aquatic Animal “The Gangetic Dolphin” and sensitizes them towards their protection.
About Ganga River Dolphin
The Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) lives in deep waters, in and around the meeting point of two or more rivers. The species is distributed in the Gangetic-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli – Sangu River systems in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Dolphins have a sturdy and flexible body and weigh up to 150 kg. The dolphins are usually blind and catch their prey by emitting an ultrasonic sound.
Project Dolphin:
The PM said in his speech that Project Dolphin will be on the lines of Project Tiger, which has helped increase the tiger population. Till now, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), which implements the government’s flagship scheme Namami Gange, has been taking some initiatives for saving dolphins. Now, Project Dolphin is expected to be implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
