Why is it in News?
→ Results of dolphin census highlighted conservation trends.
→ Focus on protecting endangered Gangetic dolphins.
Important Points
- Conducted under Project Dolphin.
- Gangetic dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal.
- Found mainly in Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin.
- Indicator of river health.
- Census used direct count and acoustic methods.
- Conservation supported by Namami Gange Programme.
- Dolphins face threats from pollution.
- Also affected by river fragmentation.