According to Koshitappu Wildlife Reserve Kushaha, Sunsari, there were 11 dolphins in the Saptakoshi River as of 2009, which has now declined to six. [break]
The rare mammal comes out from the River when all the 52 spurs of the Koshi barrage are opened in the rainy season, informed Conservation Officer Ashok Kumar Ram, adding that the dolphins are continually disappearing with the Indian government’s reluctance to keep the Koshi barrage spurs opened.
Likewise, rampant hunting and smuggling of dolphin in the Koshi River is another reason behind the decline of the species.
The National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act-2029 has prohibited the murder of dolphin. Anyone who involves in such crime will be penalized Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 75,000 or jail term of 2-10 years or the both, stated the Act.
Scores of tourists coming to the Koshi River area to see the endangered species also dropped with the decline in the number of dolphin.
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