Your support can help protect two species of endangered dolphins, fight destructive fishing practices, and provide clean water and sustainable power for families in Bangladesh!

A diverse delta

The Sundarbans is the world’s largest mangrove forest. Formed by the delta of the Ganges and two other rivers, these expansive wetlands straddle the coasts of India and Bangladesh, covering nearly 4,000 square miles. The area’s network of winding channels forms thousands of islands and provide habitat for diverse wildlife including Bengal tigers, olive ridley sea turtles, and two species of endangered freshwater dolphins. 

Irrawaddy dolphins tend to live close to shore, where they can get caught in fishing nets.

Ganges river dolphins with their long, toothy snouts, are usually found in freshwater farther upriver.

Impacts of poverty

W ith few options to provide for their families, many people in the Sundarbans have turned to fishing with poison and fine-mesh nets, which endanger dolphins and other wildlife and threaten human health. These practices are illegal, and the government has set up a dolphin sanctuary in the Dhangmari River. But the rules are poorly enforced, and many local people are not even aware of them.

A win-win for people and planet

We believe that a healthy environment and human well-being are inextricably connected. That’s why we’re working with the people of East Khejuria Village, a small island community, to both improve residents’ quality of life and preserve the Sundarbans’ unique biodiversity. 

Working with the Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS), this new Seacology project will directly benefit people in the village while helping them to protect the dolphins and other threatened wildlife. 

Your gift will help Seacology and BEDS protect endangered species and support sustainable livelihoods in the area by:

• Training community members to patrol the 840-acre dolphin sanctuary in the Dhangmari River
• Helping 50 households sustainably grow vegetables and fish
• Helping 100 more households produce and market mangrove-based honey, pickles, molasses, and tea
• Giving 100 households solar lights (especially helpful for children’s studies) and improved cooking stoves, to reduce the need to collect wood from mangroves for fuel
• Installing a water purification and storage system to filter brackish groundwater
• Conducting outreach to help the community fish responsibly
• Raising awareness about endangered freshwater dolphins

Tokens of our appreciation

To thank you for your generous donation, we’re offering some optional goodies (see right sidebar). We’ll also shout out all campaign supporters on social media and in our annual report (unless you choose to give anonymously, of course).