Mysterious Dolphin Carcass Discovery in Ganga

A dolphin carcass surfaced along the banks of the Ganga in Jharkhand's Sahibganj district, prompting forest officials to take swift action. According to Divisional Forest Officer Prabal Garg, the discovery was made following a tip-off from local fishermen.

Immediate measures were enacted to transport the dolphin, identified scientifically as Platanista Gangetica, to a range office for a post-mortem. The river-dwelling mammal, counted as an endangered species under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, showed no signs of external injuries.

Authorities have ruled out pollution or collision as possible causes for the death. Garg emphasized, 'In cases of water contamination, we'd see more dolphin fatalities.' According to recent surveys conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India, over 250 dolphins inhabit the Sahibganj stretch of the Ganga.

(With inputs from agencies.)