North Lakhimpur: Bringing an abundance of cheer and glee to nature lovers and conservationists, the endangered aquatic mammal Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) was spotted in the Charikaria River in Dhakuakhana in Lakhimpur district.
This has been stated by Dhruba Jyoti Chetia and Rajib Baruah of Pu N Fu Wild, a wildlife protection group based in Dhakuakhana.
A team of the group consisting of Dhrubajyoti Nath and Manash Pratim Dutta along with Dhruba Jyoti Chetia and Rajib Baruah spotted the aquatic species while bird watching at Bolaighat on the river on Saturday.
Locally called the Sihu, the Gangetic Dolphin was last seen on Charikaria River 25 years ago in 1998.
Hunting by men, decreasing of its foods like Neriya (Garua Bachcha) fish, and shallowing of the river bed due to massive bank erosion have been blamed for the near extinction of this aquatic species in the last few years.