Dead dolphin found in Halda River, first case of the year

A dead dolphin has been recovered from the Halda River in Sipahighat, located in Binajuri Union of Rauzan Upazila.

The dolphin was found around 12pm today (5 February), making it the first reported dolphin death in Halda this year, confirmed Dr Md Manzoorul Kibria, coordinator of the Halda River Research Laboratory and professor of Zoology at Chattogram University to The Business Standard. 

He said, "The dolphin was discovered near the Halda Research and Training Center of the private development organisation Integrated Development Foundation (IDF) during low tide."

"The dolphin was 50 inches long, 28 inches wide, and weighed approximately 11.8 kilograms. There were visible injury marks on its body, suggesting it was struck with a sharp object, which likely caused its death," Dr Kibria added.

The last recorded dolphin death in the river occurred on 18 December 2024, meaning this incident comes just 45 days after the previous one.

Officials from the Rauzan Upazila Fisheries Office and IDF examined the deceased dolphin and documented their findings. As the carcass had already started decomposing, the dolphin was later buried.

Last year, four dead dolphins were found dead in the Halda River. 

Over the past five and a half years, the total number of dead dolphins recovered from the river has risen to 44.

The Halda River is a crucial natural breeding ground for carp fish in South Asia and also serves as a major habitat for freshwater dolphins in Bangladesh. 

Previously, dolphins were also commonly found in the Karnaphuli River, but pollution has significantly reduced their presence.