WWF, SWD rescue two 'blind dolphins'

Low water and intensive fishing continue to force blind dolphins, a critically endangered species to get trapped in different canals of the Indus River, the WWF-Pakistan said on Saturday. In a joint effort, the WWF-Pakistan and Sindh Wildlife Department rescued 2 Indus River dolphins generally known as 'blind dolphins' after getting stranded in the last two days. The rescued dolphins were set free unhurt in up-and-down streams of Sukkur Barrage.
The WWF-Pakistan said that the blind dolphins get trapped constantly in low waters in the canals. "Stranding in low waters is a constant threat which this endangered species faces. Stranding usually occurs during the period of canal closures when flood gates are closed resulting in a drop in water level," it said. Besides, it also attributed the intensive fishing in the core dolphin habitat as another threat to the freshwater endangered species. It said that the heavy fishing grew the possibility for dolphins to land in nets. It showed concerns that the constant monitoring of dolphins across the Indus River and its adjacent canals has become critical.
"The first 3.10 feet long male dolphin weighed about 22 kilograms was rescued from Dahar, a tributary of Ghotki Feeder Canal, 170 kilometres off Sukkur on Friday. While, the other male dolphin which was 4.7 feet long and weighted 37 kilograms was rescued from Wareha, a minor tributary of Rice Canal on Saturday," it said. Keeping in view the danger of standing that the blind dolphins continue to confront, the WWF-Pakistan has evolved scores of programs to support and protect the population of these species in collaboration with its partners. Under the program, over 130 dolphins have been rescued and freed back into waters since 1992.
"The Indus dolphin rescue program, therefore, has been an integral component of WWF-Pakistan's conservation work on this species and is a continuous activity being carried out in collaboration with Sindh Wildlife Department," it said, adding that it had lately organised a capacity building workshop for Sindh Wildlife Department officials on safe rescue and release of the stranded Indus river dolphins.