Review of status, threats, and conservation management options for the endangered Indus River blind dolphin

Braulik, Gill; Noureen, Uzma; Arshad, Masood; Reeves, Randall R.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2015.09.008

Cited by 41 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Indus river dolphins were found in the Indus and its tributaries from the foothills of the Himalaya to the limits of tidal zone in undivided India (now India and Pakistan), a linear range of around 3500 km (refs 7, 10). This historical range of the Indus river dolphin has been fragmented by barrages into 17 river fragments, including 15 fragments in Pakistan and 2 in India 11 . In Pakistan, Indus river dolphins now occur in five subpopulations in the Indus main stem, separated by Jinnah, Chashma, Taunsa, Panjnad, Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages 11 .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This historical range of the Indus river dolphin has been fragmented by barrages into 17 river fragments, including 15 fragments in Pakistan and 2 in India 11 . In Pakistan, Indus river dolphins now occur in five subpopulations in the Indus main stem, separated by Jinnah, Chashma, Taunsa, Panjnad, Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages 11 . In India, a recently rediscovered sixth subpopulation occurs in the River Beas 12,13 , upstream of Harike barrage.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This trend still continues and much of their distribution range has already been lost 9,[14][15][16] . The Indus river dolphin now occupies only 20% of its former range in the form of six isolated subpopulations 17 and approximately 99% of the population occurs in only 690 km stretch of River Indus 11 . Dolphins are already extinct from all the tributaries of the Indus in Pakistan 11 .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The Indus river dolphin now occupies only 20% of its former range in the form of six isolated subpopulations 17 and approximately 99% of the population occurs in only 690 km stretch of River Indus 11 . Dolphins are already extinct from all the tributaries of the Indus in Pakistan 11 . However, River Beas, upstream of Harike barrage in India is the only tributary having a small subpopulation of the Indus river dolphin.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…However, River Beas, upstream of Harike barrage in India is the only tributary having a small subpopulation of the Indus river dolphin. This subpopulation lives about 500 km distance from the Indus (main stem) subpopulations and is secluded through five barrages, namely Harike (India), Hussainiwala (India), Suleimanki (Pakistan), Islam (Pakistan) and Panjnad (Pakistan) 11 . Furthermore, the river downstream of Harike barrage is virtually dry and there is connectivity with the rest of the river system only for a few days each year during the monsoon floods.…”

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Abundance and Distribution Modelling for Indus River Dolphin, <i>Platanista gangetica minor</i> in River Beas, India

Khan

2016

Current Science

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The present study was conducted between April 2011 and May 2013 in an approximately 70 km long stretch of River Beas to estimate the abundance and distribution pattern of Indus river dolphin along the Beas, as an initial step towards its better conservation. Based on the line transect method for wide channel, seven vessel-based collinear line transects of 10 km each were surveyed once every month. A total of 33 sighting frequencies were possible during the study. The studied isolated sub-population was found to be extant in very low abundance of 0.047 dolphins/km. The distribution of the dolphins was found significantly different in all flow seasons. The dolphins were found migrating towards upstream during high flows as the increased water levels create new suitable habitat patches, whereas low flows restrict them to the only remaining habitats downstream. Persistence of dolphins, even in low density in this isolated small stretch of River Beas is indeed a good sign, but intensive fishing and increasing pollution remain a matter of concern. Hence it is suggested that the government withdraws fishing contracts throughout its range of distribution.

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Abundance and Distribution Modelling for Indus River Dolphin, <i>Platanista gangetica minor</i> in River Beas, India

Khan

2016

Current Science

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Recent cetacean taxonomic changes and conservation action

Braulik

Reeves²,

Taylor

2021

Aquatic Conservation

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A review of the status, threats and management priorities of a remnant population of Indus River dolphins in the Beas River, India

Braulik,

Kanwar,

Nawab

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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The Indus River dolphin (Platanista minor) is a severely threatened species of freshwater dolphin that occurs only in the lower Indus River system of Pakistan and India. The dolphin's range has declined by 80% since the 1870s, and total species abundance is estimated as approximately 2000 individuals. In 2007, a remnant population of Indus dolphins was discovered above Harike Barrage, in the Beas River in India, 600 km away from all other individuals of its species. This paper provides an overview of the conservation status of Indus dolphins in the Beas River, details the threats they face, and suggests priorities for their conservation and management. Between 2011 and 2022, 40 dolphin direct count surveys were conducted. Indus dolphins occur only in the lower third of the Beas River and reported counts have been from one to eight individuals. The data do not indicate an increase in abundance, and instead suggest a potential decrease; however, sightings of calves continue to be reported annually indicating reproduction is still taking place. Threats to the Beas River dolphin population include accidental entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, escapement downstream of Harike barrage, altered and depleted river flow regimes' and the effects of a very small population size. Urgent conservation measures are essential if this small, but important satellite population is to persist. Recommended management actions include the complete removal of fishing nets from dolphin habitat, reducing pollution, ensuring adequate river discharge to sustain aquatic ecology including dolphins, evaluating and monitoring dolphin movement through Harike barrage and into canals, and engaging riverside communities to protect dolphins. In addition, the possibility of conservation translocations to supplement this population with individuals from larger healthy populations elsewhere in the range of the species should be explored.

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Review of status, threats, and conservation management options for the endangered Indus River blind dolphin

Cited by 41 publications

References 25 publications

Abundance and Distribution Modelling for Indus River Dolphin, <i>Platanista gangetica minor</i> in River Beas, India

Abundance and Distribution Modelling for Indus River Dolphin, <i>Platanista gangetica minor</i> in River Beas, India

Recent cetacean taxonomic changes and conservation action

A review of the status, threats and management priorities of a remnant population of Indus River dolphins in the Beas River, India

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