Forest dept, fishermen save Gangetic dolphin in Contai

Kolkata: Immediate intervention by the Forest department has recently led to the rescue of a Ganges River dolphin that got entangled in a fishing net at Rasulpur River at Contai in East Midnapore.

The fishermen of the Deshapran Block who saw the aquatic mammal lacked proper knowledge of handling it and thus decided to keep it in a nearby water body. They informed the East Midnapore Forest Division Headquarters. A team from the Contai Range arrived with veterinarians and a rescue van to deal with any emergency. The dolphin was provided necessary treatment. It was eventually released back into the Rasulpur River. Once released, the dolphin quickly swam back to its original habitat.

The forest staff spread the necessary awareness among the locals so they properly handle the creature if they come across one next time. A monitoring drive is afoot in the area and expected to continue. Scientifically known as ‘Platanista gangetica’, the Ganges River dolphin is classified in the family Platanistidae. The native Bengali speakers prefer calling it ‘shushuk’. These dolphins have long beaks and tiny, sharp teeth. They have smooth, stocky bodies, round-shaped bellies, and large flat flippers. However, due to their restricted visual prowess they often get trapped in fishing nets or killed by predators.

The existence of the Ganges River dolphin is threatened by poaching and accidental killing. There are also other factors such as water pollution, municipal sewage discharge and noise pollution caused by vessel traffic that can cause their untimely deaths.