Together, We’re Saving Rare River Dolphins

Eleven countries have banded together to save the world’s six surviving species of river dolphins from extinction.

In a landmark declaration – “Global Declaration for River Dolphins” – eleven Asian and South American countries will work together to halt the decline of river dolphins and ultimately to increase the most vulnerable populations

The declaration was adopted by Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, and Venezuela – states that have promised to collectively work together to protect the remaining river dolphin species, reduce pollution, expand research, and increase protected areas, among others.

Since the 1980s, the dolphin population has plummeted by 73 per cent. In Pakistan alone, however, the population of endangered Indus River dolphins has nearly doubled in the last 20 years. “The population of the Indus River dolphin has been successfully recovered in Pakistan from the brink of extinction through coordinated efforts,” says the inspector general of Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, Syed Ghulam Qadir Shah. Ultimately, the newest declaration has the potential to make a significant impact on the survival of these rare dolphins.