The Gangetic dolphin, which has been declared an endangered species under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act, was trapped for more than 24 hours, forest officials said.

The dolphin, whose age has been estimated as 12 years, was discovered by the villagers of Tilkhoja.

East Midnapore divisional forest officer (DFO) Rabindranath Saha said on Sunday the endangered mammal was alive because of the efforts of the villagers.

Lauding their role Saha said it was remarkable that the dolphin was in perfect health despite spending over 24 hours in a pond after local people rescued it from an irrigation canal.

“The dolphin had separated from its group and possibly strayed from the Rupnarayan river into an irrigation canal and was stuck there because of low tide. Villagers rescued the dolphin and put it in a pond while standing guard all night, before the forest department personnel took over and eventually released it in the morning. The dolphin was released 42 km away,” Saha said.

To keep it in good health, the dolphin was put in a water-filled vessel and carried on a truck by the forest department personnel with the help of villagers and safely released in the river after an hour’s journey.

Saha, who had monitored the operation, was accompanied by the range officer and forest personnel. Dolphins straying into irrigation canals from rivers in the district is common.