Fish out of water

Editor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. The stories presented come mainly from the Asia News Network (ANN), of which China Daily is among its 20 leading titles.

The endangered Indus River dolphin is more than a victim of environmental destruction — it is a symbol of the profound ecological crisis that threatens us all.

"Dolphins are our friends," said Mai Soomeri, hailing from Guddu town in Pakistan's Sindh Province. "When we are out here fishing or washing dishes, they are always there."

She insisted these creatures were more than just part of the Indus River ecosystem; they were their constant companions, offering playful company and solace.

Soomeri is a member of the Bhulan Dost Programme, a citizen initiative led by World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan, or WWF-P, to empower fisher communities to protect the Indus River dolphin and its habitat.

The Indus River dolphin, also known as the "blind dolphin" which depends on sound waves for communication, is one of the world's rarest mammals and the second most endangered freshwater river dolphin. In 1969, the species was feared to be on the brink of extinction, with only 100 dolphins remaining by 1972.

According to WWF-P, with decades of collaborative efforts involving fisher communities, forest and wildlife department of Sindh and conservationists, its population has rebounded to 2,000 today.

Yet, the species is listed as "endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list and with 60 percent of these dolphins clustered in Sindh, their survival is far from certain.

"I can't understand why anyone wouldn't wholeheartedly support this cause," Soomeri said.

Toheed Ghani Mahesar, manager of the Food and Agriculture Programme of WWF-P, said the issue transcends the creatures themselves, pointing to a far larger problem.

"These dolphins are vital bioindicators, reflecting the deteriorating health of our rivers and signaling our march toward climate change.

"The steady decline of plants, animals, marine life, and entire ecosystems is a glaring wake-up call. It's our responsibility to raise awareness, sensitize others and play our part in the preservation of the environment," he added.

Mahesar said that to truly grasp the severity of the species' decline, it's crucial to observe their past and present distribution.

Shrinking numbers

Once spanning 3,400 kilometers from the estuary to the Karakoram foothills, the Indus River dolphins are now confined to a fraction of their former territory. Their current range has shrunk by 70 percent, leaving them restricted to less than 1,000 km of the river.

According to Mahesar, the decline in the Indus River dolphin population can be attributed to several factors, beginning with "the construction of irrigation systems, barrages, and dams since the 1930s that has disrupted their natural habitat into isolated fragments — each piece smaller and less inhabitable than the last — preventing them from migrating freely within the river to find food and shelter".

As a result, the dolphins became stranded in the shrinking sections of the river, he said, adding their inability to move across the river also disrupted their breeding patterns, further reducing their numbers, with young dolphins struggling to survive.