General Studies · Passage and Conclusion

A passage has been given in this question followed by a statement related to it. Read the passage carefully and review the statement based on it. Officials said that the Punjab government, with the help of WWF-India, is planning to protect one of the world's rarest freshwater mammals, the Indus river dolphin. It is found only in certain river stretches of India and Pakistan. In India, it is primarily found in a 185 km stretch of the Beas River in Punjab. Forest and wildlife protection departments along with WWF-India officials gather data on the dolphin population. According to experts, the largest population of the Indus dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) is found in Pakistan. Experts note that decades ago, these dolphins were also found in the Sutlej river, but heavy pollution caused by human settlements led to their local extinction there. These species of dolphins are functionally blind and navigate using echolocation, similar to bats. Statement: Indus dolphins were found in the Sutlej river before it became heavily polluted. Choose the most appropriate option based on the passage.