KARACHI: Local fishermen in Balochistan recently rescued and released back into the sea a rare dolphin species that had got stuck in shallow waters off Ormara coast, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) officials stated on Thursday.

“It was a Risso’s dolphin, reportedly around three meters long. We are glad that fishermen acted promptly and safely released it back into the sea,” shared Muhammad Moazzam Khan, technical adviser (marine fisheries), WWF-P and president of Pakistan Whales and Dolphin Society, adding that the incident took place on March 25.

According to him, Risso’s dolphin is one of the 26 cetacean species found in Pakistani waters, including three baleen whales, 22 toothed whales and dolphins, and a porpoise.

“This species is among the few marine animals that prefer to live in deeper waters and is usually found on the edge of continental shelves but may also come near the shores in some places,” he said, adding that the species could dive to at least 1,000 feet and hold their breath for 30 minutes.

Risso’s dolphin got stuck in shallow waters off Ormara coast

According to him, WWF-P has been conducting a capacity-building programme for fishermen in safely releasing entangled megafauna, including dolphins and whales since 2012. To date, over 250 fishermen have been trained.

“From 2012 to 2020, we have documented 28 incidences of its entanglement. Most dolphins, including this species, die during entanglement,” he said.

According to WWF-P experts, prior to the recent incident, there were only three incidences regarding skeletal remains and sightings of Risso’s dolphins in Pakistani waters, which were reported in early 2000.

“For the first time, a complete specimen of a male Risso’s dolphin was found stranded at Clifton Beach on 24 March 2020. Most of these dolphins were reported from the Murray Ridge area in the offshore waters between Cape Monz and Ormara,” Mr Khan said.

All dolphins and whales are protected under the fisheries legislation of both Sindh and Balochistan.

Named after Antoine Risso, the species is very stocky, has a blunt head, and lacks a discernible beak, unlike other commonly observed dolphins. They can be found in almost all temperate and tropical waters around the world.

They have a robust body with a narrow tailstock. It can reach approximately 3 to 4.5 m lengths and weigh up to 250 to 500 kilograms.

These dolphins are typically found in groups of between 10 and 30 animals, though they have been reported as solitary individuals, in pairs, or in loose aggregations in the hundreds or thousands.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2025