WWF-Pakistan celebrated 25 years of dedicated Indus river dolphin (bhulan) conservation in December 2025 at a special event held in Islamabad. Coordinated efforts by WWF, government agencies, and local communities have helped this endangered freshwater dolphin population recover to an estimated 2,000 individuals. This milestone not only reflects a remarkable conservation success—nearly doubling the dolphin population – but also underscored the need to address ongoing threats to ensure the species’ long-term survival.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Climate Change Senator Musadik Malik emphasized the continued need for coordinated efforts to protect dolphins to sustain this conservation success, and that the Government of Pakistan is committed to working with all stakeholders to secure a thriving future for the Indus river dolphin.
Over the past 25 years, WWF-Pakistan’s conservation initiatives have evolved from early population assessments which helped establish a scientific baseline and map its distribution, to community outreach, which has helped remove harmful practices and strengthen stewardship. WWF has also worked alongside partners to develop specialised rescue units to ensure dolphins trapped in irrigation canals are safely released back into the river. At the same time, satellite tracking and improved monitoring systems have deepened understanding of dolphin movement patterns, habitat use, and the impacts of river fragmentation.
These efforts have been carried out in close collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change; the provincial wildlife and fisheries departments of Punjab, Sindh and KP; irrigation departments, environmental protection agencies, local communities, and academia; and made possible through the generous support of international donors such as UK international development and Darwin Initiative funding, as well as private-sector partners including Engro Foundation and Bank Alfalah. The work has helped transform the Indus river dolphin from a rapidly declining, highly threatened species into a nationally recognised conservation success story.
Speaking at the event, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF-Pakistan, highlighted that this sustained recovery is a testament to coordinated efforts between WWF, government departments, partners, and riverine communities.