DNA test to be conducted on Dolphins at Harike

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Dharmendra Rataul

Posted online: Monday , December 24, 2007 at 12:00:00
Updated: Sunday , December 23, 2007 at 10:43:04

Amritsar, December 23 The Punjab Wildlife Department will seek help from marine biologists and experts to conduct a DNA test on dolphins spotted at Harike. The DNA would be then matched with the Indus river dolphins in Pakistan, from where the dolphins here are likely to have swum upstream.

The tests would not only confirm the species, but would also trace their lineage to find how the dolphins arrived at this now virtually land-locked wetland. “The dolphins would be captured for blood samples,” said B.C. Bala, Chief Conservator of Forests, adding that experts from Wildlife Institute, Dehradun, and WWF, Delhi, would help in scientific investigations.

The dolphins were first spotted by a team of forest and wildlife officials led by Divisional Forest Officer Basanta Kumar and confirmed by World Wide Fund (WWF) scientists Dr Sandeep Behera and Dr Asghar Nawab.

Anish Dua, a zoologist from Guru Nanak Dev University, who also accompanied the experts to Harike, said the habitat of dolphins should be protected. “The habitat is conducive to dolphins’ population. There is abundant food and the water quality is good. Investigations should be ordered for a census of the dolphins and then measures should be taken for protecting the mammals,” said Dua.

On the other hand, honorary Wildlife Warden from Hoshiarpur Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa was sceptical about the spotting of the dolphins and asked for more scientific probes. “The DNA test is a must, which must be followed by a census. Thereafter, a detailed programme should be chalked out for the protection of marine creatures and their habitat.”

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