New Delhi, March 3 -- The first-ever comprehensive survey of river dolphins has revealed a population estimate of 6,327 dolphins mainly in the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus river basins.

The survey, conducted under Project Dolphin launched in 2020, gives the first-ever glimpse into the species' status in India.

India is home to two species of freshwater dolphins - Ganges (Platanista gangetica) and Indus (Platanista minor), which serve as bio-indicators of healthy river ecosystems.

Both dolphins are classified as Endangered and listed as Schedule I species under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

The survey was done across 28 rivers across eight states of the country stretching over 8,507 km.

The majority of the do...