HISTORICAL AND CURRENT STATUS OF THE INDUS RIVER DOLPHIN [PLATANISTA MINOR) OWEN 1853: ITS CONSERVATION AND FUTURE

Abstract

Platanista minor, the blind Indus dolphin or "Bhulan", is one of the most endangered mammals on earth- Like its close cousin of the Ganges river dolphin Platanista gangetica, it was once widespread in its river basin and was hunted for its meat and oil. Controlling the flow of the Indus by a series of low barrages, which divert water into an infrastructure of irrigation canals, has divided the population into sub-populations demarcated by the barrages. The direct and indirect effects of fishing and pollution, both domestic and industrial, have reduced the population to a few hundred individuals in the central section of the main Indus river. Since the species gained legal protection and international status, regular monitoring has taken place both with Sindh and Punjab provinces. If survey problems can be overcome and an agreed methodology adopted then better population estimates can be obtained. The future of the animal lies in reducing pollution pressures, returning canal-stranded animals back to the main owner, examining ways of overcoming the barrage as a physical barrier to dolphins, educating both fishermen and the population as a whole as to the value of the species and encouraging eco-tourism