Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh): After an arduous, nearly 24-hour-long rescue endeavor, officials from the South Kheri forest department, WWF-India, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Turtle Services Alliance (TSA), and the irrigation department triumphantly extricated a pod of approximately twelve dolphins, including their young, and returned them to the Ghaghara River, officials stated on Sunday. The operation concluded late Saturday evening.

These Gangetic dolphins, inhabitants of the Ghaghara River, found themselves ensnared in the Sharda Canal, about 4 kilometers south of the Sharda Barrage, on Thursday. Classified as Schedule 1 aquatic fauna under the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, Gangetic dolphins are among the highly protected wildlife species.

Sanjay Biswal, Division Forest Officer (DFO) of the South Kheri Forest Division, remained on-site alongside WWF project director Dabir Hasan, WII expert Vipul Maurya, WTI specialist Shruti Singh, and TSA scientist Dr. Shailendra Singh until all the dolphins were successfully guided back to the Ghaghara River.

“On Friday, we received reports of approximately ten Gangetic dolphins stranded in the shallow waters of the Sharda Canal, unable to navigate to safety due to insufficient water levels,” Biswal conveyed to PTI. “Of these, four to five dolphins were trapped in water depths of 2.5 to 3 feet, and their condition was critical due to the presence of their young and the soaring temperatures,” he elaborated.

Biswal explained that during pre-monsoon maintenance at the Sharda Barrage, the Sharda flow was regulated, and the gates were opened, causing the Sharda waters to recede and the canal bed to dry up. The irrigation department was solicited to release water into the canal to facilitate the rescue of the dolphins.

Responding to this request, the irrigation department released water into the canal on Saturday evening, allowing the stranded dolphins to navigate back to the Ghaghara River. “We ensured the safe passage of all dolphins back into the Ghaghara River,” Biswal affirmed.

Dr. Shailendra Singh from Turtle Services Alliance (TSA), an expert in rescuing turtles and dolphins in India, remarked, “Our primary objective was to enable the dolphins to swim back to the Ghaghara by augmenting the water levels.” He continued, “The alternative task of capturing and relocating the dolphins was fraught with challenges and risks due to their significant number.”

“Capturing and relocating one or two dolphins is manageable, but with at least ten dolphins, including calves, ensuring water supply in the canal was the optimal solution,” he concluded.