Context: The Bihar government is setting up India’s fi rst observatory for the Gangetic dolphins in Bhagalpur district.
About:
- Observatory is constructed at Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS).
- Observatory will aim to promote eco-tourism.
- There would be no adverse impact on the river’s ecology as the observatory is being constructed on a Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat bridge over the Ganga.
About Gangaetic dolphin
- IUCN Status: Endangered -They prefer deep waters, in and around the confl uence of rivers. They can only live in freshwater and are essentially blind.
- They are reliable indicator of the health of the entire river ecosystem.
- It is also National Aquatic Animal of India.
- It can be found in the Ganges Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karna phuliSangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.