Indus dolphins get Punjab sanctuary

Conservationists hail notification as a milestone for protecting river ecosystem

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has demarcated the Punjab Indus River Dolphin Wildlife Sanctuary for the conservation of the rare freshwater species and its habitat.

The sanctuary covers a stretch of the Indus River with the highest concentration of the endangered dolphin in the province.

Conservationists and the World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) described the notification as a milestone for dolphin conservation and the protection of the Indus River ecosystem.

According to the notification, the river stretch from Jambar-Bait Landi Patafi to Guddu Barrage has been designated as a wildlife sanctuary under the Punjab Protected Areas Act 2020. The initiative aims to protect the natural habitat of the Indus River dolphin and other aquatic and wildlife species while promoting biodiversity conservation.

The WWF-Pakistan stated that the declaration would strengthen the country's network of protected areas and reflect its commitment to the conservation of biodiversity.

South Punjab Additional Chief Wildlife Ranger Sheikh Muhammad Zahid said the Punjnad-Guddu stretch was considered the most important habitat for the Indus River dolphin and supported the highest recorded population of the species in the province. He said the river section provided suitable conditions for feeding, breeding and movement of the dolphins, making legal protection of the area a conservation priority.

"The new wildlife sanctuary will not only help safeguard the natural habitat of the Indus River dolphin but also strengthen the protection of the entire aquatic ecosystem of the Indus River," he said. According to WWF-Pakistan, the Indus River remains the last major natural habitat of the one of the world's rarest freshwater dolphin species.

Conservation experts estimate that around 2,000 dolphins currently survive in the wild, underscoring the importance of protecting their remaining habitat.

Environmental experts say changes in river flows, pollution, illegal hunting and increasing human activities have intensified threats to the dolphin's habitat.