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Frequently Asked Questions
 How the Boat Safari Project helps to Save the Indus Dolphin?
The Indus Boat Safari offers tourists a unique opportunity to travel on traditional fishing boats, drifting down the Indus River to see the Indus dolphin and other wildlife from close quarters.
The aims of the Indus River Boat Safari are:
To raise awareness about the Indus River ecosystem and its unique inhabitants.
To encourage the local fishermen community to become the guardians of the dolphins.
The programme is working with and benefiting the local fishing community by:
Ensuring all income generated by this eco-tourism programme is managed by a co-operative society of boat people.
Offering technical guidance to the boat people to upgrade their boats, improve safety for visitors, as well as training individuals to be certified Indus guides.
Encouraging fishermen to market and refine their traditional handicrafts, such as embroidery and basketry during the off-season.
Where to view the dolphin?
The Adventure Foundation Pakistan (AFP) has initiated a community based project to organize dolphin boat safaris from Taunsa Barrage. The Barrage is at a distance of approximately 2˝ hours drive from Multan and 1˝ hours drive from Dera Ghazi Khan. One to three days boat safari trips are available from October to Mid April. Further information is available from the AFP office.
How to be a responsible and sensitive eco-tourist?
Be sensitive to the safety of the environment and all animals. This is the primary rule when watching any wildlife. You are a visitor in their world. There is no need to interfere with them or their habitat in anyway. Watch quietly, be observant, ask questions, take photos and more than anything…. Remember your experience.
When watching dolphins?
Try and keep quiet. If you are very quiet you may hear the dolphins breathe or 'push', even before you see it.
Dolphins surface very quickly so be vigilant.
When you see a dolphin, keep looking gin the same area and it may surface again, about a minute later.
If you see any dolphins which are smaller than the others, or two surfacing at the same time, this is likely to be a mother with a calf.
Count the number of animals you see in each group, then compare figures with you friend.
What to bring with you?
Rules:
Do not try to swim with the dolphins this will scare them.
Do not try and feed the animals.
Do not chase the animals.
Do not bang loudly on the sides of the boat, stamp your feet or scream.
Never drop your litter in the river. Keep it in your bag and take it with you.
Can you photograph the Indus Dolphin?
Indus River Dolphins surface so quickly that it is almost impossible to get good photographs of them. However, you may be lucky…start snapping and claim you reward! They AFP offers Rs. 1000/- to any good focused, full-frame photograph of the Indus River dolphin in its natural habitat. Send it to us with you name and address and you may be rewarded for your effort. We will also acknowledge your name whenever the photograph is published in our future publications.
For more information please write to:
The Project Manager
Ecotourism Project for the Conservation of the Indus Dolphin
C/o Adventure Foundation Pakistan
Garden Avenue, National Park Area. P.O. Box 1807, Islamabad - 44000
Tel/Fax: (92-51) 2272538
Tel: (92-51) 2825805
Email: afopak@yahoo.com
Acknowledgments: The Adventure Foundation Pakistan wishes to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Global Environment Facility / Small Grant Programme of UNDP-Pakistan. Technical support and visuals are provided courtesy of WWF-Pakistan. The AFP also wishes to gratefully acknowledge services of Miss. Gill Braulik, Cetacean Specialist, WWF-Pakistan, Professor Z.B. Mirza, Mahjbeen Abidi-Habib, Hussain Bux Bhaagat and Omyma Khan for the text and editing of this brochure. Photographs are provided by the courtesy of WWF-Pakistan, Hassan Zaki and Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana.
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