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Source: The post is based on the article “11 Countries Sign Declaration for Global Protection of River Dolphins by 2030” published in “WWF” on 31st October 2023
Why in the News?
Eleven Asian and South American countries have signed a Global Declaration for Protection of River Dolphins.
What is the Global Declaration for Protection of River Dolphins?
| Specification | Details |
| Signed by | 11 countries (Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, and Venezuela) |
| Aim | To halt the decline of all river dolphin species by 2030 |
| Measures to be taken | Improve water quality in the dolphins’ habitat, create protected areas, tackle overfishing and involve Indigenous communities in the affected regions in protecting the animals. |
What are River Dolphins?
River dolphins are a group of fully aquatic mammals that reside exclusively in freshwater or brackish water.
The six surviving river dolphins species are: Amazon, Indus, Ganges, Irrawaddy, Tucuxi and Yangtze finless porpoise. A seventh species, the Chinese river dolphin or baiji, was declared extinct in 2007.
Since the 1980s, river dolphin populations have declined by 73% due to several threats like unsustainable fishing practices, hydropower dams, pollution from agriculture, industry and mining, and habitat loss.
| Specifications | Details |
| Amazon River Dolphin | It is the largest species of river dolphin.It is exclusively found in South America. IUCN Status: Endangered |
| Ganges River Dolphin | Found in the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers IUCN Status: Endangered |
| Indus River Dolphin | Found in Pakistan and River Beas, a tributary of the Indus River in Punjab, India. IUCN Status: Endangered |
| Irrawaddy Dolphin | Found in brackish water near coasts, river mouths and estuaries in South and Southeast Asia. IUCN Status: Endangered |
| Tucuxi Dolphins | Found in the rivers of Amazon Basin IUCN Status: Endangered |
| Yangtze Finless Porpoise | Endemic to the Yangtze River in China IUCN Status: Critically Endangered |
UPSC Syllabus: Environment
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