Ecotourism to conserve Indus blind dolphin

LAHORE
THE WWF-Pakistan started eco-tourism programme at Taunsa Barrage to sensitise visitors about the threats and challenges faced by the wildlife, especially Indus Blind Dolphin, endangered species.
A three-day visit (March 6-8) of Taunsa Barrage was organised in this regard and participants, belonging to different fields of life including journalists, writers, engineers and teachers, were taken there during which the WWF educated the visitors about the need of the conservation of the environment and dependence of wildlife on the eco-system of river Indus through tourism.
The tour left on early Friday morning from Lahore to Taunsa Barrage and reached there in the evening. After some rest and dinner, the leader and Incharge of Kot Adu Centre of WWF gave a briefing about the wildlife of the Taunsa Barrage and told them about the Wildlife Sanctuary of Taunsa, about 1,700 acres forest situated near Taunsa Barrage surrounded by Indus Water.
On the first night, the tourists set up camps on the bank of river Indus near Taunsa Barrage. The purpose was to observe the natural environment closely. The organisers during the discussion gave a brief introduction of the Wildlife Sanctuary of Taunsa popularly known as Bella Forest”. About 1,700 acres long stretch of the land that is surrounded by the Indus Water near Taunsa Barrage is a habitat of different kinds of animals, told the Incharge of Kot Adu Centre of WWF. It was declared as wildlife sanctuary by the Punjab Wildlife Department in 1970 that meant to save the resources of forest, he added. No economic or hunting activity was allowed on the sanctuary, he told.
Mubashir, one of the organizers, told the media that setting up of camps under the open sky was a part of eco-tourism. It was planned to impart training to visitors for the next night they had planned to spend on Taunsa Wildlife Sanctuary.
The next day, tourists went for “Indus Dolphin Boat Safari” of a 40km long stretch in the river Indus near Taunsa Barrage, a habitat of species. It took them about six hours to cover the stretch. The severe weather halted the efforts of organisers to see dolphins during the Safari tour. Long waves of water and storm-like heavy wind camouflaged the movement of dolphin.
Abu Bakar, Communications Officer of WWF Lahore, told the media that they organised such tours every year to sensitise the tourists about the conservation of the environment and wildlife.
Their every tour had a theme and this tour was titled as “Indus Dolphin Boat Safari”. It was mainly concerned with the conservation of Indus Blind Dolphin.
He said that Indus Blind Dolphin popularly known as “Bhulan” to the locals had been listed as an endangered species in International Union of Conservation of Nature (ICUN)’s Red List. It is also listed as a protected animal in schedule III of the provincial wildlife legislations.
Indus Dolphin was a mammal. It needed fresh air to breath and could not survive without water. Five barrages built at the river Indus have divided the habitat of this specie. The dolphin cannot swim upstream and also cannot cross bridges.
He said that sometimes it would get trapped into dams or canals. And from there, it would go to the places where there was very little water. Many cases have been reported in which dolphin died. He said that last year the WWF rescued three dolphins which were trapped into low-water land.
Waste and toxic material disposed of by Chashma Nuclear Plant and industries was the other main reason of the deaths of dolphin. He said that toxic and poisonous material as the causes of death had been revealed in the autopsy reports of the deceased dolphins.
Illegal fishing activities like use of nets with fine-mesh, use of chemicals and currents was the third main reason of death of the dolphin. He said that there had been many cases in which the dolphin got trapped into the net of the fish-hunter and he had no skill to rescue it.
The tourists tried to capture the snaps of the dolphin diving into the water and a few were successful. After sometime, the tour started its journey back to Lahore with the happy memories in mind.