India’s first-ever riverine dolphin estimation report has recorded 6,327 dolphins across 28 rivers in eight states. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number, followed by Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the report during his visit to Gir National Park in Gujarat, where he chaired the 7th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife.

The dolphin population survey, conducted under Project Dolphin, spanned 8,500 kilometers across the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems over two years.

In India, Ganges river dolphins inhabit the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system and its tributaries, while a small population of Indus river dolphins resides in the Indus River system.

During the meeting, PM Modi emphasized the importance of raising awareness about dolphin conservation by involving the local population and villagers in the affected areas. He also recommended organizing exposure visits for schoolchildren to dolphin habitats.

The survey, conducted from 2021 to 2023, was a joint effort by the Wildlife Institute of India, state forest departments of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan, and non-profit organizations including Aaranyak, World Wildlife Fund, Turtle Survival Alliance, and Wildlife Trust of India.