There was some horrible news out of India last month, when the bodies of about six endangered Ganges River Dolpins were found next to a railway track. The dolphins had been cut up into small pieces and put into eight sacks and then unceremoniously dumped next to the line. The BiharTimes has the story...
The sacks were noticed by the villagers near a railway track and the police were informed.
"The evidence suggests that the consignment was being taken to Kolkata or northeastern states by train. And something must have forced the smugglers to throw them out of the train," a police official said.
Dolphins are locally called sons of the Ganges river, but pollution and rampant fishing have threatened their existence.
Following the recent news that Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine would be visiting the Ganges River Dolphin for their Last Chance To See TV series, it's about time we posted some information on this creature, also known as the "Susu". Image by Brian Smith.
The Wikipedia article is very good and tells us that Ganges River Dolphin and its close relative the Indus River Dolphin are essentially identical in appearance, even though they have totally distinct ranges and have not interbred for thousands of years.
The Ganges subspecies can be found in the Ganges River as well as the Brahmaputra, Meghna, Karnaphuli and Sangu river systems of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Relatively high population densities have been observed near the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in India and in the Sangu River in southern Bangladesh. Very few individuals (perhaps 20) are present in Nepal in the Karnali River. The total population is unknown, but certainly numbers in the hundreds and there are perhaps as many as a few thousand.
How many of these rare, wonderful creatures are left? I poured over the literature and sadly have to report that only four to six hundred of these blind river dolphins exist in the Indus and that their numbers are diminishing rapidly because of a number of factors. Over fishing, dam construction, navigation projects, pollution, habitat destruction and increasing food needs of a fast growing human population have all but made this animal extinct. [...] In the Ganges this creature is called the Susu. If you are interested you can go online and watch a video of a Susu leaping out of the water and hear its whistle-like call. It is wonderful to see. Only about six hundred of them still exist in an area of heavy human population which uses their fat, you guessed it, for catching catfish. In the Brahmaputra River, scientists estimate that three to four hundred of the Hihu remain. In Nepal, in isolated sections of rivers a few may still exist.
Thanks for the article Harold, it was a very nice read. You can read more of Harold's work and find out about his award winning books at HaroldBergsma.com.
It's that time again, and as this site celebrates its 3rd birthday, I'm very happy to announce that long-time supporter Dave Haddock has sent us FANTASTIC news about the TV series of Last Chance To See featuring Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine.
Dave went to a talk by Mark Carwardine last week in Rochester, where Mark announced that he would begin filming the TV series later this year (and into next) alongside Stephen Fry. They are going to re-visit all the places he went to with Douglas Adams, including where the animals are extinct. As the Yangtze River Dolphin is already "functionally extinct" they also plan to go and see the Ganges River Dolphin in India to highlight its plight. Most of the people that he met in 1989/90 are still working on the same projects, so it will be marvellous to catch up and see how things have progressed, for better or for worse.
As a result of this announcement, expect to see Ganges River Dolphin news postings on this site soon...
And now to our new fundraiser for 2007/2008. Since there approximately 720 Mountain Gorillas left in the world, I thought it would make a good target to try and raise $720, $1 for every single gorilla up there in the Virunga Mountains.
I have established a brand new Firstgiving donation page called "720 Dollars for 720 Mountain Gorillas", where we'll be raising funds for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. Douglas Adams was a great supporter and patron of the charity, so many thanks in advance for your anticipated generosity! Anyone can donate, from anywhere in the world, the site is secure, and you can contribute as much or as little as you can afford. $1 will do, as that's one Mountain Gorilla towards our target!
Also, if there's a website address you'd like to promote, please send me the URL and a short description, and I'll be happy to build a links list to promote your favoured site. We're a Google PR5 you know... Note:Nothing offensive please!!
