Ganges Dolphin is the National Aquatic Animal Of India and also the official animal of Guwahati.
This beautiful fish is found in Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system.
Also found in Karnaphuli Sangu river system.
Its favorite place is deep pools to swim.
Ganges Dolphin lives upto 30 years.
It can grow upto 2.2m-2.6m long.
Their color is usually tan, chocolate brown or light blue.
They cannot see well and they use echolocation to understand their surroundings and find their prey.
They usually eat birds, turtles, carp, Mahseer and even Ganges Shark.
Their estimated population is about 2500-3000, which is very less and that’s why they are in Endangered species list.
Click on to know more about Ganges Shark
To save the River Ganges Dolphin, The Ministry Of Environment and Forest declared the stretch of Ganges river between Sultanganj to Kahalgaon, Bihar, into the dolphin sanctuary and it is named as Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary which is the first protected area of this type.
Their hunt is strictly banned and anyone who does this crime will be punished for the imprisonment of 3-7 years and a fine of minimum 10,000 rupees will be imposed on the criminal.
