Why in News? 

• India has successfully tagged its first-ever Ganges River Dolphin in Assam, marking a significant achievement in wildlife conservation. 
• This initiative was led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Assam Forest Department, Aaranyak, and funded by the National CAMPA Authority. 

Gangetic River Dolphin 

About Ganges River Dolphin 

• Scientific Name: Platanista gangetica, known as the "Tiger of the Ganges." 
• Discovery: Officially discovered in 1801. 

Habitat 

• Found in major river systems of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Yamuna rivers. 

Features 

• Lives only in freshwater and is essentially blind. 
• Hunts using ultrasonic sounds to navigate and catch prey. 
• Typically found alone or in small groups 
• Mothers travel with their calves. 
• Females are larger than males and give birth every 2-3 years. 
• Must surface every 30-120 seconds to breathe, hence the name "Susu." 

Importance 

• Serves as a reliable indicator of the health of the river ecosystem. 
• Declared the National Aquatic Animal of India in 2009 and the State Aquatic Animal of Assam. 

Major Threats 

• Unintentional killing through fishing gear entanglement. 
• Poaching for dolphin oil, used for fish attraction and medicinal purposes. 
• Habitat destruction from development projects, pollution, and noise from vessel traffic. 

Protection Status 

• IUCN: Endangered. 
• Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 
• CITES: Appendix I. 
• CMS: Appendix I. 

Related Government Initiatives 

• Project Dolphin. 
• Vikramshila Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary in Bihar. 
• National Ganga River Dolphin Day is celebrated on 5th October.