Fishermen, dolphins team up to catch fish

BY ABINASH CHAUDHARY,Dhangadhi, Sept. 3: Some fishermen from the Tharu community are catching fish at the confluence of the Patharaiya and Gairi rivers. As they take turns casting their nets, the rare dolphins leap joyfully nearby. 

The fish are either being caught in the fishermen’s nets or ending up in the dolphins’ mouths. This delightful scene can be witnessed in the dolphin hotspot of Kailali.

“When we cast our nets, the dolphins come close, leap, enjoy and catch fish,” said a local fisherman. In the animal kingdom, dolphins are considered the most intelligent creatures after humans. Here, a mutual relationship between these two highly intelligent beings is observed.

In some countries where the rare Gangetic dolphins are found, it is reported that fishermen hunt them. However, in Kailali, fishermen and dolphins are helping each other in their quest for food. 

According to dolphin conservationist Bhojraj Dhungana, dolphins chase the fish in the depths and drive them towards the shore. After that, the fishermen catch the fish with their nets near the shore. “When they cast their nets, the fish near the shore flee back into the depths,” he said. “The dolphins are leaping and enjoying themselves while catching and eating the fish that the fishermen have driven out.” He said that such a rare scene is not seen elsewhere.

Dhungana, who is also the president of Dolphin, Aquatic Life and Biodiversity Conservation Nepal, said, “This is a rare sight where fishermen and dolphins are helping each other for food. Both are getting their food. There is no conflict between them.”

Although dolphins reside in the Karnali River in Kailali year-round, they come to Mohana and its tributaries, such as Patharaiya, Kadha and Kandra, during the rainy season. These rare aquatic creatures, which prefer to live in clean water, come to smaller rivers to raise their young and search for food. Reports indicate that adult dolphins, along with their young, enjoy these rivers throughout the monsoon season because rivers like Mohana and Patharaiya have an abundant supply of fish that serve as food. 

Conservationist Hiru Lal Dagaura believes that there is a relationship of coexistence between the dolphins that come to rivers in Kailali and humans. He said that the scenes at Patharaiya and Gairi River were strong examples of such a relationship. He said, “Helping each other for food, humans assisting dolphins and dolphins assisting humans, is a relationship of coexistence. Here, we see that they are helping each other to survive.”

From schoolchildren to foreign tourists, people come to Kailali to observe and enjoy watching the playful dolphins. Like humans, dolphins give birth to live offspring and nurse them. Dolphins have a lifespan of 20 to 25 years and can weigh between 100 to 160 kg. The sex of a dolphin can be identified by the shape of its snout.