Irrawaddy Dolphins Endangered in India

Exposure to organochlorine pesticides and persistent organic pollutants put Irrawaddy dolphins at risk of extinction in Chilika Lake of Orissa claims an international research team. For the first time, concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OC), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers have been found in tissues of Irrawady dolphins collected from Chilika Lake.

DDT and its metabolites (DDTs) were the predominant contaminants found in Irrawaddy dolphins; the highest concentration found was 10,000-nanogram/g lipid weight in blubber. Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were the second most prevalent contaminants in dolphin tissues.