Punjab notifies Indus dolphin habitat as wildlife sanctuary

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has notified a stretch of the Indus River as the Punjnad Indus River Dolphin Wildlife Sanctuary, giving legal protection to what officials describe as the province’s most important habitat for the endangered Indus River dolphin.

The river section from Jambar-Bait Landi Patafi to Guddu Barrage has been declared a wildlife sanctuary under the Punjab Protected Areas Act 2020. The move is aimed at conserving the dolphin’s habitat as well as other aquatic and wildlife species in the area, while supporting broader biodiversity protection efforts.

WWF-Pakistan welcomed the development and said the notification would strengthen Pakistan’s network of protected areas and reflect the country’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. The organisation also acknowledged the efforts of Punjab Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb in helping facilitate the initiative.

Key habitat for Indus River dolphins

South Punjab Wildlife Ranger Additional Chief Sheikh Muhammad Zahid said the Punjnad-Guddu stretch of the Indus River was regarded as the most important habitat for the Indus River dolphin in Punjab and had the highest recorded population of the species in the province. He said the river segment offered favourable conditions for feeding, breeding and movement, making legal protection of the area a conservation priority.

Speaking about the sanctuary’s significance, Sheikh Muhammad Zahid said:

"The new wildlife sanctuary will not only help safeguard the natural habitat of the Indus River dolphin but will also strengthen the protection of the entire aquatic ecosystem of the Indus River, including native fish species and other aquatic life."

WWF-Pakistan said the Indus River remains the last major natural habitat of the endangered Indus River dolphin, which it described as one of the world’s rarest freshwater dolphin species. Around 2,000 dolphins are currently believed to survive in the wild, highlighting the importance of preserving their remaining habitat.

Threats to the species

Environmental experts said the dolphin’s habitat has come under increasing pressure from changes in river flows, pollution, illegal hunting and growing human activity. They said the establishment of the new sanctuary could reinforce existing conservation work and support the species’ long-term survival.

The notification has been described by conservationists as a major step for the protection of both the Indus River dolphin and the wider river ecosystem in Punjab.