WATCH: Body of endangered Indus dolphin found in Sukkur

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An endangered Indus River dolphin, commonly known as the blind dolphin, was found dead near Gate No. 5 of the Sukkur Barrage on Wednesday, raising fresh concerns over the species’ survival amid deteriorating river conditions.

A video circulating on social media showed the dolphin’s lifeless body floating in polluted water filled with plastic waste. The footage has sparked alarm among environmentalists and animal rights groups.

Locals discovered the dolphin and alerted authorities, but wildlife officials had yet to retrieve the carcass as of the filing of this report.

Initial reports suggest the dolphin may have died due to falling water levels in the Indus River, which have left parts of the riverbed dangerously shallow. Conservationists warn that declining river flows are increasing the risk of injury and death for the critically endangered species, already under threat from habitat loss and human activity.

Experts say as water levels drop, dolphins often become stranded in canals or restricted to shallow pockets of water, making them highly vulnerable.

The incident follows a similar case earlier this year when two individuals were charged under the Sindh Wildlife Protection Act 2020 for killing a rare Indus dolphin in the Dadu Canal. The animal’s body was found several kilometres downstream after being removed from the water and left to die.

Conservation officials are calling for urgent measures to protect the species, which is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is considered a vital part of the Indus River ecosystem.