The preservation of marine life is important to keep the ecosystem intact. Every living creature contributes its part to the well being of the system while the extinction of any species leads to imbalance. This is the reason, endangered species are cared for and efforts are made for their safety and growth. The Indus dolphins commonly known as Indus queens, which are found in the Indus river, are also facing the threat of extinction and for the first time, World Wide Fund-Pakistan and the Sindh wildlife department have tagged three dolphins in the Indus River with satellite transmitters in order to boost conservation and scientific assessment of these endangered species. It is for the first time that modern technology has been used on any of the river dolphin species in Asia. It could help facilitate in forming strategies for the long-term conservation of the Indus river dolphin as it could reveal a wealth of information about the movement, behaviour and habitats of this iconic species. Now, scientists can build up an accurate picture of the activities of these dolphins, which only surface for a very short time to breathe. The data will hopefully help answer many vital questions, including how they use different habitats, how effectively they travel through the large irrigation barrages on the river, how far they move in a day, and if there is any difference between the movement patterns of males and females.
Such initiatives need to be encouraged as collective efforts are key to saving river dolphin species across Asia. We have already lost most of the incredible species, with many of the others approaching the edge of the cliff. Now we should have to take a stand to save the remaining species otherwise the seas would be empty of whales and dolphins.
