Ganges river dolphin

The Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is a special kind of freshwater dolphin that lives in rivers. You can find it in the Ganges and other rivers in South Asia, especially in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. People call it many names, like susu, shihu in Assamese, shushuk in Bengali in West Bengal and Bangladesh, and Uttum in the Chittagonian language in the Chittagong area.

This dolphin is very important to India. The Government of India chose it as the country's National Aquatic Animal, and it is also the official animal of the city of Guwahati. A long time ago, a person named William Roxburgh wrote about seeing the Ganges river dolphin for the first time in the Hooghly River.

Description

The Ganges river dolphin has a special, ridgelike back fin. Females are often bigger than males. These dolphins can be tan, chocolate brown, dark grey, or light blue. They have long, slim noses with very sharp teeth, like most river dolphins. Their bellies are rounded, and with their back fin, they look sturdy compared to sea dolphins. Their flippers and tail parts are large and wide.

These dolphins use a special part of their heads called a melon for echolocation because they do not see well in cloudy water, and their eyes are usually small. They are usually about 2.2 to 2.6 meters long.

Taxonomy

The Ganges river dolphin separated from the Indus river dolphin a long time ago. Scientists first named this dolphin in 1801. Later, in 1835, it got another name. For many years, people thought the Ganges and Indus river dolphins were the same, but now we know they are different species.

Etymology

The Ganges river dolphin has many different names where it lives. It is often called susu. In Hindi it may be called soons, soans, or soos. In Bengali it is known as shushuk. In Assamese it is called hiho or hihu. It is also named bhagirath after a character from Hindu mythology. In Nepali it may be shus or suongsu. In old times, its Sanskrit name was likely shishumar. During the Mughal era it was called pani suar.

Distribution

The Ganges river dolphin lives in rivers of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. It likes deep pools, places where the water swirls, and areas near islands in the rivers.

A survey found many Ganges river dolphins in India. Most were in the main part of the Ganges River, with some in smaller rivers that flow into it. Some also live in the Brahmaputra River and its smaller rivers.

Behaviour

The Ganges river dolphins usually swim alone or with one other dolphin. They do not often jump out of the water and are shy near boats, so they are hard to spot.

These dolphins use sounds to find their way and catch food, even in water that is hard to see. They make clicks and other short sounds to help them move and hunt. They can also make whistles, but this is not how they talk to each other.

When a baby dolphin is born, it stays near its mother for about one year. These dolphins find food by using sounds to find small fish, shrimp, birds, and turtles.

Threats

The Ganges river dolphin is an Endangered species on the IUCN Red List. It faces many dangers. Dams can break up its home, and changes in river flow can cause problems. Dolphins can get caught in fishing nets, which harms their numbers. Pollution from cities and farms, as well as noise and traffic on the rivers, also threaten them. Some people still hunt these dolphins for their oil and meat. All these pressures make it hard for the Ganges river dolphin to survive in its natural habitat.

Conservation

The Ganges river dolphin is protected from being sold across countries. This is because it is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

In India, the government uses old stories to help people care about saving the Ganges river dolphin. There is also a rule that dolphins cannot be kept for entertainment without special permission.

In 2020, India started "Project Dolphin" to help protect both river and ocean dolphins.

Bangladesh has made six special areas called sanctuaries in the Sundarbans to protect these dolphins.

Main article: Project Dolphin (India)

In culture

The Ganges dolphin is linked to the goddess Ganga. Sometimes, it is shown as her vahana, which is like a vehicle for the goddess. It is also connected to the makara, a mythical sea creature.