India’s First Dolphin Research Centre:
India’s inaugural National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) marks a significant milestone in the conservation efforts for the endangered Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica).
- Located strategically near the Ganga river in Patna, Bihar, the NDRC aims to be a hub for comprehensive research on various aspects of Gangetic dolphins, including behavior, survival skills, and causes of mortality.
- Bihar is home to around half of the estimated 3,000 Gangetic dolphins in India.
- The Ganges river dolphin, discovered in 1801, historically inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
- Recent studies in the Ganga River Basin show their presence in the mainstream and tributaries like Ghagra, Kosi, Gandak, Chambal, Rupnarayan, and Yamuna.
