DERA GHAZI KHAN: The Worldwide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) has completed census of the rare blind Indus dolphin with an expectation of a 20 per cent increase in the population of the endangered marine mammal, sources told Dawn.

The census started a couple of months ago from Jinnah Barrage and went till Sukkur Barrage in Sindh.

The sources told Dawn that a team led by an enumerator-cum-wildlife expert conducted a survey and the process of enumeration continued for over a month.

According to the previous census results of the dolphin, its total strength was 1,451, said a former member of the WWF-Pakistan, Umer Waqas, who had conducted the last census.

During the previous census, the team had witnessed two dolphins between Jinnah Barrage and Chashma Barrage, and 102 between Chashma to Taunsa barrage. From Taunsa to Guddu Barrage, 465 dolphins were registered and 850 from Guddu to Sukkur Barrage.

Wildlife department Deputy Director Rana Shahbaz told Dawn that they assisted WWF-Pakistan in conducting a safe and secure population census of the Blind Indus Dolphin. He said there was an expectation of a 20pc increase in the strength of the mammal according to figures collected during the process.

WWF-Pakistan spokesperson in Lahore told Dawn that enumeration had been completed and results were being compiled.

The spokesperson said there were great expectations of an increase in the population of the dolphin, but a figure could not be quoted at this point as results were not ready yet.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2017