Urmila Ganguli and Smaran Ghosal

Just a few days after WWF - Pakistan led a team which successfully completed the first ever attempt in Asia to rescue trapped river dolphins, an Indian team carried out a similar exercise to save a Ganges dolphin (Platanista gangertica). This record-breaking rescue involved transporting a river dolphin by road and keeping it out of water for 7 long hours. The dolphin, which was trapped in a small pool of water in the Damodar River at Randhia, 10km east of Panagarh, Bardhaman District in India, was rescued and relocated to the River Hugli at Ambika Kalna, about 110 km away.

Newspaper reports drew attention to the plight of stranded dolphins during the last week of December 1999. The dolphins had been in the pool since a flood in October 1999. The dolphins had been in the pool since a flood in October 1999 and were visible when they came to the surface to breathe. As soon as we became aware of the situation, we went to Randhia on 3rd January to carry out a survey and provided a report to Shri Arian Ghosh, Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal. Subsequently, an e-mail appeal for expert opinion on saving the dolphins was sent by Pugmarks, Calcutta to 108 different organizations and individuals. In an excellent example of international scientific cooperation, help arrived almost immediately. Experts, including Venessa Williams and Brian D. Smith (Asia Coordinator), Whale and Dolphin conservation Society, U.K., Gill Braulik (cetacean specialist), WWF - Pakistan, Dr Ravindra Sinha, (dolphin expert), Patna University, Belinda Wright, Wildlife protection Society of India, and others contacted us. Instructions from Brian D Smith and particularly the experiences of Gill Braulik, who was involved in the successful relocation of one Indus dolphin from a canal on 17the January 200, were useful and encouraging.

Our rescue team, comprising Sri Subrata Palchowdhury, Technical Assistant, Wildlife Wing Government of West Bengal, Neelanjana Ghosal and myself from Pugmarks, visited the site on 14th January to make local arrangements for the rescue and relocation. Dr. R Sinha was requested by Shri P R Sinha, Secretary, Central Zoo Authority to be present during the operation. Rescue preparations started on an emergency basis. Two 2.5m stretchers of waterproof material lined with thick soft foam were made, and a large truck was booked to transport the dolphins. Staff from Pugmarks and the Wildlife Wing, West Begnal, arrived at the site on January 23rd, with Dr R Sinha arriving the following morning. Officials from the Forest Department also joined us, and contact was made with the local fishermen who would play a major role in the rescue. The Irrigation Department arranged for our stay in their rest house and organized the closure of the Durgapur Barrage lock gates, through which the water flows to Randhia. The Randhia lock gates were subsequently closed on the 24th. Arrangements for our safety were made by the Police Department.

At the start of the rescue operation on 25th January, about fifteen country boats fixed with nets were placed at the side of the lock gate in a semicircle and moved slowly towards the shallow water. The net encircled two dolphins, and the largest one was caught by hand in about 30 minutes and immediately put on a stretcher, covered with a wet blanket and placed in the truck on a hammock. Meanwhile, a large crowd of about eight thousand people had gathered on the opposite bank, which falls in Bakura District. When the over excited crowd rushed to see the dolphin, it was next to impossible for the police and our team to control them.

As we could not take the risk of waiting to rescue the other dolphin, we immediately started for Panagarh. This involved traveling on a rough road for 10 km, a better road as far as Bardhaman, and then, in the final part of our journey, we drove along a really bad road to Ambika Kalna. The team, including Subrata and Dr Sinha, accompanied the dolphin, taking great care of this extremely delicate animal to prevent injury and to make sure that its body did not dry out.

Neelanjana stood inside the truck, constantly using a wet cloth to sprinkle water on the dolphin's head, and using a mug to pour water on its body.

We had to stop several times to collect more water. The blowhole of the dolphin was kept uncovered. Four fishermen and Wildlife Wing staff were with us, holding the hammock net to prevent shock.

This rescuer attempt provided a rare chance to collect data on the elusive Games River dolphin. According to Dr Sinha, the animal we rescued was a female, most probably pregnant, about 25 years old, approximately 231 cm long and with an 18 cm snout.

As soon as we reached Kalna, after a journey of about 7 hours, the truck was placed on a motorized ferry launch and carried right into the middle of the Hugli River. Slowly and carefully the dolphin was lowered on the stretcher into the water. After it sensed the water with its snout, it waited for few seconds and then pushed forward, gave a quick dive and disappeared into the water. It was a moment of joy for everyone involved.

There are more than half a dozen resident dolphins at the release site in Kalna. Even during the summer months the water depth is favourable for their survival, so we hope the rescued dolphins will live and thrive in is new habitat.

Benefits of Dolphin Rescues

As well as saving individual dolphins, rescues in India and Pakistan have:

• Alerted conservationists to a problem which may have been around for years.

• Created a great deal of publicity and awareness in the locality of the rescues.

• Local people who may have previously taken the existence of river dolphins for granted have become aware of the importance of this unique mammal.

• Led to the establishment of a dolphin rescue unit in Pakistan, funded by UNDP Small Grants Programme & involving Lahore Zoo, Sindh Wildlife Department and WWF-P. this is an incredible opportunity for scientific study of the dolphins so we can understand more of their biology, reproduction and movements.