Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin - Revision history

Gauravm at 02:18, 25 November 2011

2011-11-25T02:18:21Z

Gauravm: /* Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin */

2011-11-25T01:55:23Z

‎Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin

Gauravm: /* Additional Media */

2011-11-25T01:53:32Z

‎Additional Media

Gauravm: /* Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin */

2011-11-25T01:50:37Z

‎Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin

Gauravm at 01:47, 25 November 2011

2011-11-25T01:47:06Z

Gauravm at 01:39, 25 November 2011

2011-11-25T01:39:56Z

Gauravm at 01:38, 25 November 2011

2011-11-25T01:38:02Z

Gauravm at 05:33, 20 November 2011

2011-11-20T05:33:30Z

Gauravm at 05:32, 20 November 2011

2011-11-20T05:32:46Z

Gauravm: Created page with "{{Write for us}} {{Likeboxes}} ==Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin== ==Other media== gYGUfxE4Pto ==References== {{reflist}} ==Comments== {{#widget:..."

2011-11-20T05:17:21Z

Created page with "{{Write for us}} {{Likeboxes}} ==Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin== ==Other media== <videoflash>gYGUfxE4Pto</videoflash> ==References== {{reflist}} ==Comments== {{#widget:..."

New page

{{Write for us}}
{{Likeboxes}}
==Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin==
==Other media==
<videoflash>gYGUfxE4Pto</videoflash>
==References==
{{reflist}}

==Comments==
{{#widget:DISQUS
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==More notes like this==
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==Semantic tags==
{{Article semantics
| title={{PAGENAME}}
| topic=Mythology and religion
| author=Gaurav Moghe
| speciesgroup=Mammals
| userid=Gauravm
}}

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 {|class="wikitable"
 ! Discussed species
-| [[Platanista gangetica]] (The Ganges Dolphin)
+| '''''[[Platanista gangetica]]''''' (The Ganges Dolphin)
 |-
 ! Species distribution
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 Increasing awareness among the fishermen, tribal groups and creating a strong pressure group for dolphin-friendly damming needs to occur at a rapid pace. Local and national NGOs are quite active in building a grassroots level movement for its conservation<ref>[http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-21/kanpur/30425555_1_river-dolphins-dolphin-conservation-freshwater-dolphins A step to save rare Gangetic dolphins]</ref><ref>[http://gangeticdolphin.wordpress.com/ The Gangetic Dolphin Conservation Group] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>. However, we need to contribute as much as we can.
-| [[File:Ganga.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Gangetic Dolphin is regarded as the vehicle of Goddess Ganga.]] <br> <videoflash>gYGUfxE4Pto</videoflash>
+| [[File:Ganga.jpg|350px|center|thumb|Gangetic Dolphin is regarded as the vehicle of Goddess Ganga.]] <br> <videoflash>gYGUfxE4Pto</videoflash>
 |}

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 ==Additional Media==
 <videoflash>AXs2HI4P1U0</videoflash>
 ==References==

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 Surprisingly, the Gangetic Dolphin has been traditionally considered a vehicle of the Goddess [[w:Ganga|Ganga]]. Even Emperor [[w:Ashoka|Ashoka]], in his rule, had extended the highest level of protection to the Gangetic Dolphin<ref>[http://gangeticdolphin.wordpress.com/ King Ashoka and Gangetic Dolphin protection] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>. It is painful that not only has the river Goddess been turned into Asia's largest sewage canal but also the intelligent, living creatures in it with such great importance to Indian culture are being threatened with extinction. River dolphins also existed in the [[w:Yangtze|Yangtze river]] ''(Baiji)'' and the [[w:Indus|Indus]] river in Pakistan. But these are either extinct or Critically Endangered. We cannot afford to let that happen to the Gangetic (and the Brahmaputra) dolphins <ref>[http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/12119/0 IUCN - Lipotes vexillifer] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>.
-With only 2000 individuals left, how are we going to protect the Gangetic Dolphin? The Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forests, in 2010, under [[w:Jairam Ramesh|Jairam Ramesh]], declared the Gangetic Dolphin the National Aquatic Animal of India, providing it the highest level of conservation protection. The Government also established the [[w:Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary|Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary]] to provide a safe haven to some of these dolphin populations. '''''In 2010 and 2011, however, the number of individuals at the VGDS was only ~200, so many dolphins are still not under the cover of protection. News reports (see additional media below) suggest that despite the sanctuary being a completely river-sanctuary, there is hardly any river patrolling, the allotted budget is minuscule, fishermen still catch the dolphins in their nets, there is still illegal hunting and mechanized ferries still ply in the sanctuary without major restrictions.'''''
+With only 2000 individuals left, how are we going to protect the Gangetic Dolphin? The Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forests, in 2010, under [[w:Jairam Ramesh|Jairam Ramesh]], declared the Gangetic Dolphin the National Aquatic Animal of India, providing it the highest level of conservation protection. Before that, the Government had also established the [[w:Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary|Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary]], near [[w:Bhagalpur|Bhagalpur]] in [[Bihar]] ''(see map below)'', to provide a safe haven to some of these dolphin populations. '''''In 2010 and 2011, however, the number of individuals at the VGDS was only ~200, so many dolphins are still not under the cover of protection. News reports (see additional media below) suggest that despite the sanctuary being a completely river-sanctuary, there is hardly any river patrolling, the allotted budget is minuscule, fishermen still catch the dolphins in their nets, there is still illegal hunting and mechanized ferries still ply in the sanctuary without major restrictions.'''''
 Increasing awareness among the fishermen, tribal groups and creating a strong pressure group for dolphin-friendly damming needs to occur at a rapid pace. Local and national NGOs are quite active in building a grassroots level movement for its conservation<ref>[http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-21/kanpur/30425555_1_river-dolphins-dolphin-conservation-freshwater-dolphins A step to save rare Gangetic dolphins]</ref><ref>[http://gangeticdolphin.wordpress.com/ The Gangetic Dolphin Conservation Group] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>. However, we need to contribute as much as we can.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Surprisingly, the Gangetic Dolphin has been traditionally considered a vehicle of the Goddess [[w:Ganga|Ganga]]. Even Emperor [[w:Ashoka|Ashoka]], in his rule, had extended the highest level of protection to the Gangetic Dolphin<ref>[http://gangeticdolphin.wordpress.com/ King Ashoka and Gangetic Dolphin protection] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>. It is painful that not only has the river Goddess been turned into Asia's largest sewage canal but also the intelligent, living creatures in it with such great importance to Indian culture are being threatened with extinction. River dolphins also existed in the [[w:Yangtze|Yangtze river]] ''(Baiji)'' and the [[w:Indus|Indus]] river in Pakistan. But these are either extinct or Critically Endangered. We cannot afford to let that happen to the Gangetic (and the Brahmaputra) dolphins <ref>[http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/12119/0 IUCN - Lipotes vexillifer] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>.
-With only 2000 individuals left, how are we going to protect the Gangetic Dolphin? The Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forests, in 2010, under [[w:Jairam Ramesh|Jairam Ramesh]], declared the Gangetic Dolphin the National Aquatic Animal of India, providing it the highest level of conservation protection. The Government also established the [[w:Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary|Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary]] to provide a safe haven to some of these dolphin populations. In 2010 and 2011, however, the number of individuals at the VGDS was only ~200, so many dolphins are still not under the cover of protection. Increasing awareness among the fishermen, tribal groups and creating a strong pressure group for dolphin-friendly damming needs to occur at a rapid pace. Local and national NGOs are quite active in building a grassroots level movement for its conservation<ref>[http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-21/kanpur/30425555_1_river-dolphins-dolphin-conservation-freshwater-dolphins A step to save rare Gangetic dolphins]</ref><ref>[http://gangeticdolphin.wordpress.com/ The Gangetic Dolphin Conservation Group] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>. However, we need to contribute as much as we can.
+With only 2000 individuals left, how are we going to protect the Gangetic Dolphin? The Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forests, in 2010, under [[w:Jairam Ramesh|Jairam Ramesh]], declared the Gangetic Dolphin the National Aquatic Animal of India, providing it the highest level of conservation protection. The Government also established the [[w:Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary|Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary]] to provide a safe haven to some of these dolphin populations. '''''In 2010 and 2011, however, the number of individuals at the VGDS was only ~200, so many dolphins are still not under the cover of protection. News reports (see additional media below) suggest that despite the sanctuary being a completely river-sanctuary, there is hardly any river patrolling, the allotted budget is minuscule, fishermen still catch the dolphins in their nets, there is still illegal hunting and mechanized ferries still ply in the sanctuary without major restrictions.'''''
-| [[File:Ganga.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Gangetic Dolphin is regarded as the vehicle of Goddess Ganga.]] <br> <videoflash>gYGUfxE4Pto</videoflash>
 |}
 ==References==

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 According to the IUCN<ref>[http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/41758/0 IUCN Red list - Platanista gangetica] Accessed: Nov 24, 2011</ref>, the following are the biggest threats to the Gangetic dolphins:
-# Hydroelectric and water development projects. Over 50 dams have been constructed in the dolphin's range, causing their populations to fragment and some populations to die.
+# [[w:Hydroelectricity|Hydroelectric]] and water development projects. Over 50 dams have been constructed in the dolphin's range, causing their populations to fragment and some populations to die.
-# Huge amounts of toxic contaminants in the water
+# Huge amounts of [[w:Pollution of the Ganges|toxic contaminants in the water]]
 # Deliberate killing of dolphins by tribals and local fishermen for their oil, a fish-attractant
 # Killing of dolphins accidentally caught in fishermen's gears

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 {{Likeboxes}}
 ==Goddess Ganga and the Gangetic Dolphin==
 ==Other media==
 <videoflash>gYGUfxE4Pto</videoflash>