Stranded Indus dolphin rescued

Karachi

A stranded female Indus river dolphin was rescued from the Salar Tributary of Kirthar Canal, located 170km off from Sukkur, by a joint team comprising officials of the Sindh Wildlife Department, the WWF-Pakistan and local fishermen on Monday.

The rescue team, led by WWF-Pakistan project coordinator Imran Malik and Mir Akhtar Hussain Talpur of the Sindh Wildlife Department, was dispatched on Monday after the dolphin was spotted in shallow water,

It was carefully captured, transported in a sound proof vehicle, which was constantly kept moist, until its release in the Indus River at the Sukkur Barrage upstream.

The female dolphin is about 3.5 feet in length and weighs about 18 kg. The WWF-Pakistan, together with the Sindh Wildlife Department, has been monitoring this dolphin since June 1, which was moved from the main river to small tributaries originating from Kirthar Canal to ensure its timely rescue in case of stranding.

The dolphin was spotted stranded at the Salar Tributary, which has a narrow channel and extremely low-water level, and was rescued immediately from there.

Getting stranded in low waters is a constant threat that this endangered species faces, which usually occurs during the period of canal closures when flood gates are closed, resulting in a drop in water level.

Furthermore, intensive fishing in the core dolphin habitat is another threat which increases the probability of dolphins getting entangled in fishing nets, making it critical to continuously monitor the Indus River and adjacent canals. 

The WWF-Pakistan has initiated numerous programmes to support and protect the population of these dolphins in collaboration with partners and has rescued more than 119 dolphins since 1992.

Community awareness and education has also helped substantially decrease stranding-induced dolphin mortalities in recent years.

Rab Nawaz, WWF-Pakistan senior director programmes, said as part of its existing Indus River Dolphin Conservation initiative, undertaken with the financial support of the Sona Welfare Foundation, the WWF-Pakistan had established a dolphin monitoring network of representatives of relevant departments and the local communities to monitoring the Indus River and adjacent canals and tributaries.

The team thus far has conducted about 85 monitoring and awareness raising surveys of the Indus River, adjacent canals and villages this year and rescued two dolphins during this year.

The WWF-Pakistan has recently set up a 24-hour phone helpline, 071 561 5505, to report stranded dolphins to it and the Sindh Wildlife Department.

He also highlighted that intensive fishing in the core dolphin habitat was another threat to the survival of this species.

Referring to a recent incident of the mortality of dolphin calf, he said it was found with a broken rostrum possibly due to entanglement in fishing net.