Microplastic Pollution in the Indus River: The Plight of the River Dolphin
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Environment & Ecology (Species in news - Indus River Dolphin, their conservation status; Pollution - Microplastics; Ecological Concepts - Indicator Species, Biomagnification); Indian Geography (Indus River System).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 3 (Environment & Biodiversity): Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. This is a classic example of the impact of plastic pollution on aquatic ecosystems and keystone species.
Key Highlights from the News
A new study finds that Indus river dolphins contain large amounts of microplastics.
The majority of microplastics found in their stomachs and intestines were textile fibres from clothing and PET plastic used in packaging.
Plastic enters their bodies through direct ingestion of water and via contaminated prey.
The health of Indus river dolphins is an important barometer of the Indus river’s health.
This finding highlights the severity of plastic pollution in our rivers and how it affects aquatic life.
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