Lockdown effect: Gangetic dolphins spotted at Kolkata ghats after 30 years!

Nature is healing amid the nationwide lockdown, the only silver lining. And, after a number of animals were spotted across the globe, guess who made their comeback to the waters of Kolkata? Well, it’s none other than the famous Gangetic or the South Asian River Dolphins. Because of the lockdown, water pollution has come down to an astonishing level and this must have possibly prompted the dolphins to return and, that too, after a good 30 years!

The sighting of South Asian River Dolphins is extremely rare these days, but thanks to the reduced water pollution, these beautiful creatures decided to show up on the shores and say hello to the city dwellers. A few days back, a number of reports surfaced, claiming the water quality of the Hoogly river in Kolkata has improved given the current lockdown situation. During this time, several endangered mammals were spotted in the city outskirts.
And now, the spotting of Gangetic dolphins has brought happiness to the city. Some 30 years back, spotting these water animals wasn’t an unusual occurrence. They used to be a regular visitor to the Kolkata ghats, but gradually, due to industrial pollution, these drifted away from the city.

According to the reports, the worldwide population of Gangetic dolphins is somewhere between 1200 to 1800. In an interview with TOI, Biswajit Roy Chowdhury, a senior environmental activist said that he spotted a couple of dolphins at Babughat in Kolkata. He said that due to the nationwide lockdown and lesser human activities, the quality of water has improved drastically and this is “one of the main reasons that the dolphins are coming back”.
As of now, West Bengal has reported 514 Coronavirus positive cases and 15 deaths.