Tamil Nadu to implement Project Dolphin to conserve endangered marine mammal

Chennai: To protect and conserve the highly endangered marine mammal Dolphin, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has decided to
implement the “Project Dolphin.

“The project will implemented with a total outlay of Rs 812.6 lakh during the 2023-24 fiscal, additional chief secretary to government Supriya Sahu, said on Tuesday.

It will be implemented under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat programme of the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, Sahu said.

”More than four types of dolphin species are found in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. The Project will be implemented at a cost of Rs 812.6 lakhs during the year 2023-2024,” she said in a post on the social media platform X.

The Additional Chief Secretary of Environment Climate Change and Forests, further said that several activities including Dolphin number estimation, protection, surveillance, and awareness enhancement would be undertaken.

The central government launched Project Dolphin in 2019 for the conservation and protection of the Dolphins in the rivers and in oceans of the country.

Project Dolphin will involve the conservation of Dolphins and aquatic habitats through the use of modern technology especially in enumeration and anti-poaching activities.

The project will engage the fishermen and other rivers, ocean ocean-dependent populations and will strive to improve the livelihood of the local communities.

The conservation of dolphins will also envisage activities that will also help in the mitigation of pollution in rivers and in the oceans.