📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Itzashwini
Crime
Illegal Ganges Dolphin Capture Near Darhar Village Highlights Poaching in Kosi River
✍️ Amar Ujala · Bihar
🗓 25 Aug 2026, 09:37 AM
👁 2
Fishermen near Darhar in Saharsa district trapped a Ganges dolphin in a net and brought it home, exposing illegal poaching in the Kosi River.
Saharsa district officials have reported an incident of illegal hunting of the endangered Ganges dolphin (Platanista gangetica) in the Kosi River near Darhar village. According to local sources, a group of fishermen allegedly used a net to trap the dolphin and subsequently transported it back to their village by boat.
The Ganges dolphin is listed as a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and its capture or killing is a punishable offence. The incident underscores the challenges of enforcing wildlife protection laws in remote riverine areas where traditional fishing practices sometimes clash with conservation mandates.
Local authorities have launched an inquiry to identify those involved and to seize any equipment used in the poaching. Environmental NGOs have called for stricter monitoring of the Kosi River, which serves as a critical habitat for the dwindling dolphin population.
The case adds to growing concerns about illegal wildlife trade in Bihar, prompting calls for heightened awareness among fishing communities about the legal repercussions of harming protected species.
The Ganges dolphin is listed as a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and its capture or killing is a punishable offence. The incident underscores the challenges of enforcing wildlife protection laws in remote riverine areas where traditional fishing practices sometimes clash with conservation mandates.
Local authorities have launched an inquiry to identify those involved and to seize any equipment used in the poaching. Environmental NGOs have called for stricter monitoring of the Kosi River, which serves as a critical habitat for the dwindling dolphin population.
The case adds to growing concerns about illegal wildlife trade in Bihar, prompting calls for heightened awareness among fishing communities about the legal repercussions of harming protected species.