Status of Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica) in the Ganga River Basin, India: A review
Keywords:
dolphin, distribution, population, threats, conservation, habitat, trendsAbstract
River Dolphins are among the world's most threatened mammals. The rapid growth of human populations, widespread habitat degradation, pollution, flow regulation and water extraction, fisheries overexploitation and weaknesses of protective legislation have caused severe declines in the range and abundance of Ganges River Dolphins in India. Due to rising conservation concerns, dolphin biologists in the country have conducted a great deal of research over the past few decades on the status and trends of the sub-species in its distribution range. However, empirical studies are still lacking on the ecology of River dolphins, both to inform conservation efforts and to help address broader concerns related to biodiversity conservation and the sustainability of human use of river systems. Existing conservation efforts might be insufficient to stem the ongoing decline of freshwater dolphins in the country. In this article we review the status of Ganges River Dolphins, with a focus on threats the sub-species is facing in its current distribution range, and provide recommendations for its conservation.
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