The next time you plan a visit to the river Ganga, you can go on a boat ride and spot dolphins. Yes! You read that right. For the first time in India, you can enjoy dolphin safaris at 6 places along the Ganga. In a move to conserve dolphins and preserve Ganga ecology, the National Mission for Clean Ganga launched the ‘Dolphin Jalaj Safari’. They launched this at Bijnor, Brijghat, Prayagraj and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Kahalgaon (Bihar) and Bandel (West Bengal). Read on to find out more.
Dolphin Safaris At 6 Places Along Ganga To Enthrall Tourists
On October 5, Gangetic Dolphin Day, the National Mission for Clean Ganga launched the ‘Dolphin Jalaj Safari’ at 6 places along the river Ganga. This includes Bijnor, Brijghat, Prayagraj and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Kahalgaon (Bihar) and Bandel (West Bengal). NMCG director general Rajeev Ranjan Mishra told TOI “This is a unique initiative to integrate Gangetic dolphin and Ganga conservation with local livelihoods which is in line with the concept of Arth Ganga.”
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Tourists Can Go On Boats To Spot Dolphins
The ‘Ganga Praharis’ or trained volunteers belonging to the local community will take tourists on boats to spot dolphins. They work towards the cleanliness of the river. Tourists can also spot plenty of gharials during these trips. India celebrates October 5 as the ‘Ganga River Dolphin Day’. On this day, in 2010 Ganga Dolphins were declared as national aquatic animals. Conservation efforts began in 2012 between the WWF and the UP government. PM Modi also announced that the Centre shall release a detailed framework for conserving dolphins.
Also Read: Endangered Dolphin Species Spotted In Meerut Waters
It will be under similar lines like Project Elephant and Project Tiger. As of now, Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary has 36 dolphins in 5 districts. This includes Bijnor, Amroha, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Hapur. Project Dolphin shall address conservation concerns and empower stakeholders dependent on river population. It shall also reduce river pollution and allow sustainable fishery. This is a much-needed move, as people can enjoy spotting these majestic sea creatures during dolphin safaris on their next visit to the river Ganga. In Dubai, you can get up close with dolphins and even play with them like Kamiya Jani in this video.