Project Dolphin
Topic: Biodiversity and its Conservation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Project Dolphin is a programme launched in 2020 to protect India's river and ocean dolphins and their habitats. Its main focus is the Gangetic river dolphin. This dolphin is Endangered, nearly blind, and finds food by echolocation (bouncing sounds off objects). Saving the dolphin also means keeping rivers clean and flowing, which helps fish and people too.
Example
The first river-dolphin survey under the programme (2025) counted about 6,300 dolphins, mostly in Uttar Pradesh (verify current). The Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in Bihar is a key protected stretch of the Ganga.
Don't confuse with
- Project Tiger: started in 1973 to protect tigers and their forest habitats. Project Dolphin (2020) is for dolphins in rivers and seas.
Related concepts
- Project Elephant
- One-horned rhinoceros
- Asiatic lion
- Project Cheetah
- Gharial
- Hangul
- Project Hangul
- Red panda
- Snow leopard
- Great Indian Bustard