In the waters of the Indus River, where the current carries muddy streams through the plains of Punjab, lives the rare Indus dolphin — a creature almost blind from birth, which navigates by echolocation in the murky depths. Recently, the Punjab government officially created the Panjnad Sanctuary — the first in the province, specifically dedicated to the protection of this species. A stretch of the river about 200 kilometers long, including the confluence of five rivers, has been granted protected area status.
The Indus dolphin (Platanista minor), known to locals as bhulan, is one of the rarest freshwater dolphins on the planet. According to expert estimates, only about two thousand individuals remain in the wild. Over the past hundred years, the species' range has shrunk by approximately 80 percent due to the construction of irrigation structures that have divided the river into isolated segments and altered its hydrology.
The new sanctuary covers a key habitat zone in Punjab, where, according to WWF-Pakistan, about 660 dolphins are concentrated — nearly two-thirds of the provincial population. The protected area connects with an existing territory in Sindh province, forming a continuous chain of protected environment about 400 kilometers long. This allows animals to move more freely and reduces the risks of population fragmentation.
In addition to dolphins, the entire river ecosystem is protected: fish, birds, and other inhabitants on which the well-being of local communities depends. Pollution, illegal fishing, and altered water flow remain serious threats, but the legal status of the sanctuary provides tools for monitoring and restricting harmful practices.
The creation of such areas shows how targeted measures at the provincial level can complement national biodiversity conservation efforts. The Indus River is not just a water artery, but a complex system where the fate of one species is closely intertwined with the lives of thousands of other organisms and people dependent on its resources.
Protecting key river sections helps preserve not only rare animals but also the resilience of the entire aquatic environment for future generations.
