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On the occasion of the International Freshwater Dolphin Day 2020, I explain the status of the Ganges River Dolphin in Nepal. @RiverDolphinNep @CESNepal 1/10
Once distributed widely across Karnali, Koshi Narayani, and Mahakali river systems, river dolphins are now restricted to the main channel of Koshi and Karnali with occasional sightings in Narayani. Less than 100 dolphins are estimated to occur in Nepalese rivers. 2/10
Key #threats to river dolphins in Nepal are habitat fragmentation due to river development projects (e.g., dams/barrage, embankment), flow regulation, by-catch in fishing nets, hunting for oil, and depletion of prey fish stock. 3/10
Our own work funded by @CLPawards & @MbzSpeciesFund shows that a flow diversion for irrigation causes a substantial reduction in river dolphin elevating the risk of accidental mortality in fishing nets. 4/10 Link to full paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.10.026
Our work in the #Karnali river also shows that the river dolphin population continues to decline over the years with a significant reduction in the area of their occurrence. 5/10
Abstracting more water for irrigation, particularly in the dry season, aggravates existing fishing threats for the river dolphins. 6/10 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2114439-rare-river-dolphins-get-trapped-in-fishing-nets-as-waters-drop/
Some of the works we have done to conserve river dolphins in Nepal over the years. 7/10 https://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/news/river-dolphin-revelations/
Maintaining #ecologicalflows & empowering #fishers on sustainable fishing techniques could help reduce the risk of river dolphin #bycatch. 8/10 https://thewire.in/environment/dolphins-karnali-geruwa-irrigation
Trans-boundary commitment for dolphin conservation achieved in Nepal and India. 9/10
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We thank @IUCNCetaceanSG, @GillBraulik @TropicalDolph @CLPawards @Hello_MOFE @WWFNepal @atree_org @ncfindia for your direct and indirect support to river dolphin conservation in Nepal. Please visit us at http://www.riverdolphintrust.org to know more about our work. 10/10
