India conducts first satellite tagging of Ganges River Dolphin

In a first-ever move, the satellite tagging of Ganges River Dolphin was successfully accomplished on December 18.

This initiative was implemented by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and conducted by the Union Environment Ministry in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department.

This is the first tagging, not only in India but also for the species.

In a statement, the Environment Ministry said that given the paucity of information on Ganges River Dolphin habitat needs, movement pattern or home-range information, it was decided to undertake satellite tagging of dolphins.

“The first of the tagging took place in Assam, where a healthy male river dolphin was tagged and released under utmost veterinary care. The tagging exercise will help in understanding their seasonal and migratory patterns, range, distribution, and habitat utilisation, particularly in fragmented or disturbed river systems,” the ministry said.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said, “Happy to share the news of the first-ever tagging of Ganges River Dolphin in Assam—a historic milestone for the species and India!”

The Ganges River Dolphin is distributed across the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems. However, its distribution has drastically declined over the past century.

Despite its wide range, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding this species due to its elusive behaviour. It surfaces for only 5-30 seconds at a time, posing a significant challenge in understanding the ecological needs of the species and for any scientifically sound conservation interventions, the ministry said.

WII Director Virendra R. Tiwari said, “Tagging River Dolphins will contribute to evidence-based conservation strategies that are urgently needed for this species. I am delighted that this historic step has been undertaken”.

The ministry has planned to extend this initiative to other states.

Project investigator Dr Vishnupriya Kolipakam emphasised, “This is a significant advancement in understanding the ecological needs of river dolphins, which will help conserve critical habitats within these vast river ecosystems. This is vital not only for aquatic biodiversity but also for sustaining thousands of people who depend on these resources.”