Pakistan: Survey finds 135 Indus dolphins in Dera
The wildlife department has completed the GIS-based Indus dolphin census survey in the Indus River under the Project Conservation and Management of Indus River Dolphin in the southern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Divisional Forest Officer Khan Malook Khan and Sub-Divisional Wildlife Officer Malik supervised the weeklong activity, saying such surveys are conducted regularly to monitor population status and habitat quality of the dolphin in the Indus River.
Besides conducting community awareness campaigns to promote sustainable fishing practices, the provincial wildlife department also carries out operations to rescue dolphins that become stranded in irrigation canals, according to Mr. Malook.
He told Dawn that the wildlife experts used modern Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to ensure accurate mapping, monitoring, and documentation of dolphin populations along the designated stretch of the river.
“During the comprehensive survey, a total of 135 dolphins were seen in the Indus River from Chashma Barrage to the Ramak area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
The DFO said that the survey covered critical habitats, deep pools and identified movement corridors to assess population distribution and habitat conditions.
He said that the results of the exercise indicated a significant increase in the population of dolphins in that stretch, highlighting the ecological importance of the area and the effectiveness of ongoing conservation efforts.
“These findings will serve as a scientific baseline for future monitoring, habitat management, and conservation planning to ensure the long-term protection of this endangered species,” he said.
Reference Link:- https://www.dawn.com/news/1975743
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
