India, March 4 -- Plan in works for a decade but faced several delays; institute in Patna toresearch the endangered freshwater mammals

India's first centre for research on conserving the endangered Gangetic river dolphin, National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC), has finally become a reality. The institute, located close to Ganga river in Patna, was inaugurated on March 4, 2024 by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Bihar Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden PK Gupta told this reporter that the NDRC is now operational and aims to assist scientists and researchers in studying Gangetic dolphins comprehensively.

"The research will delve into various aspects such as changing behaviour, survival skills, food habits, causes of death, and more. Th...