Dead dolphins were floating in Halda, 51 bodies were recovered in six and a half years

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A dead body of a dolphin was recovered from Halda river, natural fish breeding center of Chittagong. The staff of Halda Research and Laboratory of Chittagong University recovered the body of the dolphin on Tuesday evening. It was recovered from Sipahir Ghat area bordering Hathazari and Raujan upazilas of Chittagong.

According to local residents, the dead dolphin was floating in the tidal water since morning. On receiving the news, the Halda Research and Laboratory staff picked it up and buried it on the bank of the river in the evening.

The rescuers said that the weight of the dolphin is 91 kg. Length is about 7 and a half feet. The body is believed to have died five to six days ago. The dolphin’s body was badly decomposed.

According to Halda River Research Institute and Naval Police sources, at least 51 dolphins have died in Halda River in the last six and a half years. Halda River Research Center of Chittagong University has recovered 6 dolphin bodies in the last 14 months alone.

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Halda – According to experts, the Halda dolphin is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List (critically endangered species). There are only 1 thousand 100 dolphins of this species in different rivers of the world. Among them there were 170 in Halda alone. The death of 51 dolphins in Halda in the last six and a half years is very alarming, river and animal experts say.

Halda river researcher and BGC Trust University Vice-Chancellor Manjurul Kibria told Prothom Alo, ‘The face, stomach and tail of the dolphin recovered yesterday are almost rotten. The dolphin was safely buried at the IDF Halda Training and Research Center. Its teeth have been collected for future research.” He said, “The death rate of dolphins in Halda is very alarming. If the dolphins die one by one in this way, Halda will be devoid of dolphins, which will threaten the reproduction and natural environment of the river.