First-Ever Satellite Tagging of Ganges River Dolphin Conducted in Assam

In a groundbreaking conservation effort, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) conducted the first-ever satellite tagging of a Ganges River Dolphin in Assam on Wednesday.

This initiative, implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, marks a significant step forward in the conservation of India’s National Aquatic Animal under Project Dolphin.

Funded by the National CAMPA Authority, the initiative involved the tagging and release of a healthy male river dolphin under strict veterinary care. The satellite tagging aims to gather critical data on the species' migratory patterns, range, habitat use, and behavior, especially in fragmented or disturbed river systems.

Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav hailed the achievement as a “historic milestone” on social media platform X.

“Happy to share the news of the first-ever tagging of Ganges River Dolphin in Assam—a historic milestone for the species and India! This MoEFCC and National CAMPA-funded project, led by the Wildlife Institute of India in collaboration with Assam Forest Dept and Aaranyak, will deepen our understanding of conserving our National Aquatic Animal,” Yadav wrote.

Happy to share the news of the first-ever tagging of Ganges River Dolphin in Assam—a historic milestone for the species and India!

This MoEFCC and National CAMPA-funded project, led by the Wildlife Institute of India (@wii_india) in collaboration with Assam Forest Dept and… pic.twitter.com/2lSUHVltBN

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) December 18, 2024

The Ganges River Dolphin, nearly blind and reliant on echolocation, is a unique apex predator critical to the river ecosystem. Despite comprising around 90% of the species’ population globally, India has seen a sharp decline in their distribution across the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems over the past century. The dolphin’s elusive nature—surfacing for only 5-30 seconds at a time—has posed challenges for researchers aiming to develop scientifically robust conservation strategies.
Advances in technology have played a key role in this initiative. The lightweight satellite tags emit signals compatible with Argos satellite systems, even during the dolphins’ brief surfacing periods. These tags are designed to minimize interference with their movement, ensuring the animals’ safety and well-being.

As part of Project Dolphin, the MoEFCC is funding range-wide research through the Wildlife Institute of India to address knowledge gaps and develop a conservation action plan for the species’ long-term survival. Recognizing the dolphins as umbrella species, the project underscores their critical role in maintaining healthy river ecosystems.
Future plans include extending the tagging initiative to other states where Ganges River Dolphins are found, to gain a holistic understanding of their population dynamics and habitat requirements.

Also Read: Assam's 70th Wildlife Week Begins with Cultural Events at State Zoo