Mangaluru: Dolphin conservation project soon

Team Udayavani, Aug 31, 2020, 3:09 PM IST

Mangaluru: After Prime Minister’s Independence Day speech announcing Project Dolphin for the conservation of riverine dolphins, the State government has sent the list of all the sensitive species in coastal Karnataka to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Under the Project, dolphins in the sea and rivers in the coastal districts of Karnataka will be studied and conserved.

There have been a lot of sightings of dolphins and dolphin carcasses in the more than 300 kilometres of coastline of Karnataka.

Since 1972, more than 19 endangered species have been found here which includes 11 Baleen whales, 3 whale sharks, 2 sperm whales, 1 blue whale, 1 Cuvier’s beaked whale and Guitarfish.

Dr V Karikalan, Deputy Conservator of Forests of the Dakshina Kannada district stated that as per the request from the central forest ministry, a list of dolphins and endangered and sensitive species has been sent to the ministry. With the cooperation Coast Guard, fisheries department, forest department and other departments the project to conserve local dolphins will be possible.