A sudden ripple in the river water, a fleeting glimpse on the surface, and it goes quiet again—spotting a river dolphin is often a rare and challenging task. Imagine the scale of the challenge when the objective is to count these elusive aquatic mammals across an entire river ecosystem. This exact scientific exercise is currently underway in the Chambal River.
Multi-State Collaboration and Advanced Tech
Stretching across Dholpur in Rajasthan into Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the Chambal River is witnessing a comprehensive river dolphin census. This time, the forest departments of the three states are joined by 15 specialized experts from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, leveraging modern technological tools to map the population accurately.
Before launching the main survey, participating forest personnel underwent specialized training at the Devari Gharial Centre, focusing on aquatic animal behavior and scientific counting methods. The survey teams are covering designated zones, moving all the way down to Pachnada in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh.
National Level Assessment
This initiative is part of a broader national effort to assess river dolphin populations across India's major river systems. Following the first phase between 2021 and 2024, the second phase launched in January 2026 is actively covering major river basins to formulate effective conservation strategies.
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States & Regional Bureau, The Freelance
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