"Fisherfolk Emerge as Unlikely Heroes for Pakistan's Endangered Indus River Dolphins"
In Pakistan, the endangered Indus River dolphin is experiencing a revival in numbers, thanks to the efforts of local fisherfolk who have become citizen-scientists. Despite being unable to read or write, these fisherfolk report dolphin sightings and participate in rescues, contributing to the growth of the dolphin population from 150 in 1974 to nearly 2,000 today. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) has developed a notebook with icons to help the fisherfolk record sightings and conditions of the dolphins. However, the fisherfolk face challenges as they compete with the dolphins for fish, their primary source of income, and there are concerns about the river's pollution and the dolphins' vulnerability due to their limited habitat.