Namami Gange'™s Dolphin Ambulance rescues eight dolphins in four months

Describing the operation as another success story for the specialised rescue facility, the NMCG said the Dolphin Ambulance, launched earlier this year under the Namami Gange Mission, has emerged as a crucial intervention mechanism for conserving the endangered Ganga river dolphin. It is Indias first such facility, launched in January 2026, and since then, eight Ganga dolphins have been rescued and released back into the river, the post said.

India's first Dolphin Rescue Ambulance has rescued and released eight Ganga dolphins so far, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) said on Thursday while sharing details of its latest rescue operation in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district. In a post on X, the NMCG said an adult male Ganga dolphin was found trapped in a canal in Gonda, cut off from the river and stranded in shallow water, growing weaker with every passing moment. ''In such a situation, its only hope was the NMCG's Dolphin Ambulance. The Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and the TSA (Turtle Survival Alliance) India team arrived at the scene. After 13 hours of relentless effort, the dolphin was safely rescued, given a medical check-up, and released back into the Rapti River. One life, returned home again,'' the mission said. Describing the operation as another success story for the specialised rescue facility, the NMCG said the Dolphin Ambulance, launched earlier this year under the Namami Gange Mission, has emerged as a crucial intervention mechanism for conserving the endangered Ganga river dolphin. ''This Dolphin Ambulance is not just a vehicle. It is India's first such facility, launched in January 2026, and since then, eight Ganga dolphins have been rescued and released back into the river,'' the post said. According to the NMCG, the ambulance functions as a ''mobile ICU'', equipped with essential rescue and medical equipment to ensure an immediate response during emergencies involving stranded or injured dolphins. ''From the inside, it is a mobile ICU, equipped with every necessary tool, so that not a single moment is wasted in a crisis,'' it said. The Ganga dolphin, India's national aquatic animal, is found mainly in the Ganga-Brahmaputra river system. The NMCG said the estimated population of the species currently stands at around 6,324. ''Every dolphin is precious. Every rescue is a step toward the future of their entire species,'' the mission said in the post. Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil launched the Dolphin Rescue Ambulance in January this year at the Wildlife Institute of India under the Centre's aquatic biodiversity conservation initiatives of the Namami Gange Mission.