About Us

Know About Department

To spearhead the conservtion efforts for the freshwater dolphins through collaboration, increasing the available knowledge base and aiding the river dependent communities, thereby ensuring a healthy growth of the flagship aquatic species in a pollution free habitat while dovatailing it with 'Project Dolphin'.To spearhead the conservtion efforts for the freshwater dolphins through collaboration, increasing the available knowledge base and aiding the river dependent free habitat while dovatailing it with 'Project Dolphin'.

Department's Vision, Mission & Objective.

OUR VISION:

To Conserve, Protect and Propagate the freshwater Dolphins in the country with a special focus on the Gungatic Dolphin through enabling peaceful co-existence, co- operation and communication with humans and environment.

OUR MISSION:

VALUES:

Loyalty and dedication
Determination and focus
Excellence and professionalism
Inclusivity and integrity
Collaboration and communication

OBJECTIVE:

Research
Education
Management
Awareness and Networking

Research:-

To conduct long-term research and conservation efforts to save the Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica), India’s National Aquatic Animal, and only one out of three freshwater Surviving dolphins in the world.
To prepare an inventory and assessment of river biodiversity and dedicate itself to conserve the biodiversity and their habitat in the distribution range of the dolphins, i.e. in the Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin.
To conduct researches to maintain the ecological integrity of the Ganga-Brahmaputra River systems.
To develop methods and appropriate technologies for the restoration and conservation of the river Dolphin in particular and the river ecosystems in general.
To conduct researches on impact of fishing practices, changes in prey composition, and changes in Habitat features on the population of Gangetic dolphin.

Education :-

To promote education in river ecology and related aquatic sciences at various levels.
To conduct training courses for researchers, professionals, managers, as well as policy and decision makers at various levels on all aspects of ecology, conservation, management and restoration of the river ecosystems.
To build capacity of different stakeholders like state wildlife officials, NGOs, activists, students, on research methods on population estimation, ecology and conservation of the species.
To build capacity of indoors, students / researchers on cetacean necropsies and genetic analyses, besides providing basic skills and knowledge such as species identification of other associated wildlife, and possibly carcasses and osteological material, data and tissue collection, general cetacean biology etc.
To compile, analyse and synthesise the available information and publish it suitably in print or electronic formats (books, monographs, reports, policy papers and audio-visual material) for wide dissemination among all those interested in this field.
To develop a Museum related to the Ganges biodiversity in general and the dolphin in particular at the centre.

Management :-

To conduct Environmental Impact Assessments, especially of the projects which directly impinge upon the Ganges dolphin.
To undertake management and restoration of the rivers, lakes and wetlands in the dolphin distribution range, based on sound scientific understanding of the systems.
To link the conservation of the Ganges dolphin with the livelihood of the fishermen through appropriate interventions.

Awareness and Networking :-

To organize seminars, symposia, workshops and conferences.
To organize activities for outreach and awareness among the masses.
To develop a network of organizations, institutions and interested individuals in the range states, at national and international levels.
To collaborate with various dolphin/river related organizations and institutions throughout the world.