Endangered Dolphins Still Survive in Buriganga Even Amid Severe Pollution

A 12-month study by Jahangirnagar University researchers has found around 20 endangered Ganges river dolphins surviving along a 27-kilometre stretch of the Buriganga River. Their encounter rate has dropped to 0.18 per kilometre from 0.48 in 2015, the lowest recorded across the rivers studied in Bangladesh. Researchers also found that 80.7% of sightings involved dolphins travelling in groups, while declining native fish stocks have pushed them to feed on invasive sucker fish. Severe pollution, critically low dissolved oxygen levels and heavy vessel noise continue to threaten their survival.