Pregnant Gangetic Dolphin Found Dead in Katwa, Sparks Outcry

• A pregnant Gangetic dolphin's body was recovered from the Ganga in Katwa, Purba Bardhaman, with a fishing harpoon embedded, just seven days after a calf was found killed.
• This incident follows a pattern of brutal killings, including a dolphin calf found hanging from a tree with its mouth cut off, allegedly for oil extraction.
• Environmental activists and locals are raising serious concerns about the continuous targeting of these national aquatic animals and questioning the forest department's surveillance.
• Dolphin fat oil is reportedly used as fishing bait and falsely marketed as a pain reliever, despite no scientific evidence.
• Katwa, a known habitat and conservation center for Gangetic dolphins, has seen multiple deaths, prompting calls for strict action and investigation.

Why It Matters: The repeated brutal killing of Gangetic dolphins, including a pregnant one, in Katwa highlights a severe conservation crisis.