Oct 5 to be celebrated as National Dolphin Day from this year: Environment minister

New Delhi, Mar 25

The ministry of environment on Friday announced that October 5 will be celebrated as National Dolphin Day from this year as part of the conservation campaign for the species and to generate awareness.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav made the announcement on Twitter.

“Happy to inform that the Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife in its 67th meeting has decided that Oct 5 from this year will be celebrated as National Dolphin Day.

“Generating awareness and community participation is (are) integral for conservation of this indicator species,” Yadav said.

In India, mostly Gangetic dolphins, a species of freshwater dolphins, are sighted in long deep river reaches in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Gangetic river dolphins were declared national aquatic species in 2010.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in August 2020 announced ‘Project Dolphin’ to conserve both freshwater and marine dolphins.

According to official figures, there are about 3,700 Gangetic dolphins in the Indian river systems.