Gangetic Dolphin And India’s 1st Dolphin Observatory

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India’s first Dolphin observatory

An observatory would soon be developed to allow visitors to see Gangetic dolphins in Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary.
People would be able to watch aquatic activities of Dolphins in the river from an observatory tower, to be built as a part of Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat bridge in Bhagalpur, Bihar

The four-storey observatory will be 40 feet high, with the bridge passing through its middle.
The observatory building will be transparent, with glass from all sides to ensure people can watch the dolphins without disturbing them.
The structural design of the observatory is such that it will promote eco-tourism. There would be no bad or adverse impact on the river’s ecology as the observatory is being constructed on a bridge over the Ganga

Ganga river dolphin – Platanista gangetica
Indus river dolphin – Platanista gangetica minor
The Ganges river dolphin is primarily found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra Rivers and their tributaries in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal
The Indus river dolphin is now found only in the main channel of the Indus River in Pakistan and in the River Beasin Punjab in India.
National Aquatic animal of India (2009)
National Mammal of Pakistan (Indus Dolphin)

Surface breathing
Echolocation
Gangetic dolphins Prefer water that is at least 5ft to 8ft deep, where there are enough fish for them to feed on.
They live in a zone where there is little or no current, which helps them save energy.
If they sense danger, they can dive into deeper waters.
The dolphins swim from the no-current zone to the edges to hunt for fish and return.

The population of the endangered Gangetic river dolphins was found in nearly 1,000 km stretch of the Ganga and its two major tributaries, Gandak and Ghaghra.
According to a survey in 2019, 1,548 Gangetic dolphins have been spotted in Ganga, Gandak, Kosi and Mahananda rivers
Dolphin presence is a sign of a healthy river ecosystem.

Vikramsheela Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary has been developed in the basin of Ganga between Sultanganj and Kahalgao in Bhagalpur district
According to the latest estimate, there were nearly 170 dolphins in the sanctuary.
National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) to come up in Patna University premises.
Gangetic river dolphins have been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
CITES: Appendix I

First turtle conservation and rehabilitation centre of eastern India in Bhagalpur’s sundarvan areas.
Garur Conservation and Rehabilitation centre has also been proposed in Bhagalpur’s Kandawa diara (riverside) areas to save the species of Garur vultures.