Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
dolphins, based on concentrations in water from the Ganges River at Patna, shrimps, fish
livers and Ganges River dolphins. The estimated BMFs of PFOS from fishes to Ganges River
dolphin were similar to the BMFs reported for narwhals (
Monodon monoceros
) and beluga
whales (
Delphinapterus leucas
) in an eastern Arctic food web (4.0-8.4), and in bottlenose
dolphin food web from costal Florida (1.5-35) USA (Yeung et al., 2009). Poisoning of the
water from industrial and agricultural chemicals may have also contributed to dolphin
population decline.
The UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS),
known as the Bonn Convention, which focuses on wild animals crossing the national
boundaries declared 2007 as the ―Year of the Dolphin‖. The UNEP and UNESCO,
governments and non-governmental organizations are building a strong alliance to achieve a
common objective: to protect dolphins. Crucial factors in achieving this objective include the
education to create awareness of dolphin species and the threats facing them, informing
decision makers and involving local communities. The Year of the Dolphin is also part of the
UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development. The campaign is a tangible
contribution towards meeting the targets of significantly reducing the loss of biodiversity by
2010, which all governments have agreed upon at several global UN meetings.
The Ganges dolphin as National aquatic Animal of India
On the initiatives of the author (RKS), the Indian Prime Minister on 5
th
October 2009
declared the Ganges River dolphin as National Aquatic Animal. Hopefully, this will ensure
long term survival of this species by joint efforts of policy makers, planners, executives,
scientists, conservationists and common mass. The Government of India has initiated a mega
plan to maintain ecological flow and pollution abatement in the River Ganges and its
tributaries in 2009 and gradual increase in the number of the Ganges dolphin will be an
indicator of success of these plans.
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
We gratefully acknowledge financial assistance from the Ministry of Environment and
Forests, Government of India.
R
EFERENCES
[1]
Agrawal, V. C. (1991). Mammalia. In
Faunal resources of Ganga, part - 1
(pp. 13-20).
Calcutta, India: Zoological Survey of India.
[2]
Anderson, J. (1879). ―
Anatomical and Zoological researches: Comprising an account
of zoological results of the two expeditions to western Yunnan in 1868 and 1875; and a
monograph of the two cetacean genera Platanista and Orcella, Two Volumes”
London,
United Kingdom: Bernard Quaritich.
[3]
Ansari, A. A., Singh, I. B. & Tobschall, H. J. (1999). Status of anthropogenically
induced metal pollution in Kanpur-Unnao industrial region of the Ganga plain, India.
Environmental Geology
,
38
, 25-33.
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