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Gangetic River Dolphin is now State Aquatic Animal of Assam
By Assam on June 6, 2008
Yesterday, marking the World Environment Day, Assam Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi announced that the critically endangered river dolphin of Assam, locally known as the ‘Xihu’ or ‘Sisu’ would now be the “State Aquatic Animal of Assam”. Gogoi said anounced it during a programme organised at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra of Guwahati, to mark the World Environment Day. The decision was taken following the recommendation of an expert committee set up by Dispur to select the state aquatic animal, he added.
The Gangetic river dolphins or Xihus are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. . According to this Act, if any one is found killing them or possessing any part of them can be imprisoned for 1-6 years and fined not less than Rs. 6000. The Worldwide Fund for Nature India adopted the river dolphin as a species of special concern and initiated the Gangetic River Dolphin Conservation Programme in 1997.
In Assam, the Gangetic river dolphins (Xihus) are found mainly in the Brahmaputra and the Kulsi rivers. Once found aplenty, their number has come down drastically because of indiscriminate hunting and pollution in rivers. Presently, about 268 xihus are fighting a tough battle for survival in the rivers of Assam. Besides Assam, these freshwater mammals are also found in West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
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