A world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free. Compared to other river dolphins, South Asian river dolphins have smaller brains but the part of the brain used for acoustic functions is well developed. Your gifts help us take action for whales and dolphins. The color of the mature freshwater dolphin is greyish brown. The Scientific Name of the South Asian River Dolphin is Platanista gangetica. The Ganges river dolphin population is declining and is estimated at several thousand individuals. Most are related to the sound people hear when the dolphins surface to breathe. This greyish-brown dolphin has an unusual looking head and face; their teeny eyes are only visible as pin-prick sized openings just above the end of their upturned mouth line. Their long, thin snouts are designed for quick snapping actions to capture fast prey. Following two decades of research, a landmark study has concluded that the endangered Indus and Ganges river dolphins are actually separate species. There are two species of blind river dolphins in south Asia - the Indus (Platanista minor), and Ganges (Platanista gangetica) River dolphins. Unlike most dolphins, they have very flexible necks as their neck vertebrae are not fused. Their teeth are visible in both the upper and lower jaws even when the mouth is closed. Indus river dolphins, P. gangetica minor. south asian river dolphin. Other names: Ganges River dolphin or Susu; Indus River dolphin or Bhulan or Shushuk. The South Asian River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is the only species in the family Platanistidae (Rice 1998). It has the long, pointed nose characteristic of all river dolphins. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. Since then, they have deemed as subspecies or as separate species by various scientists over the years. South Asian River Dolphin Predators Cause of being endangered Also in Pakistan, the enforcement of regulations prohibiting dolphin hunting has slowed down the process of the population declining. Both subspecies are classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List. The South Asian river dolphin is another freshwater dolphin species found in rivers in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. South Asian river dolphins share their river habitats with crocodiles (gharials), freshwater turtles and wetland birds. River dolphins are the four living species of dolphin that reside in freshwater rivers and estuaries. The tail flukes are also large and wide. In India and Nepal they are known as the Ganges river dolphins or susu; in Bangladesh they’re called shushuk; and in Pakistan people know them as the Indus river dolphin or bhulan. The Indus River dolphin lives only in the Indus River, Pakistan. Ganges River dolphins live in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems spanning three countries; Nepal, India and Bangladesh. The Gangetic Dolphin or South Asian River Dolphin is a freshwater or river dolphin found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan which is split into two subspecies, the Ganges River Dolphin (1,200-1,800 individuals) and the Indus river Dolphin . This dolphin has tiny … Ganga and Brahmaputra river system; Length. Together, we can: Adopt a whale and help us protect these amazing creatures. Its teeth are visible in both the upper and lower jaws even when the mouth is closed. They can swim upside down and on their sides, using one flipper to help feel for prey in the muddy river bed. You can unsubscribe at any time. The teeth of young animals are almost an inch long, thin and curved; however, as animals age, the teeth undergo considerable changes and in mature adults become square, bony, flat disks. Their overall range has shrunk and the remaining dolphins are divided into four subpopulations, isolated from one another by barrages. During high water seasons created by monsoon rains, South Asian river dolphins are able to spread out and live in seasonal tributaries and lakes as well as the main river channels. The South Asian river-dolphin lives in two river systems – the Ganges of Nepal, India and Bangladesh and the Indus of Pakistan, and the dolphins have local names in each country. One of the reasons why South Asian river dolphins are endangered is direct action by humans. The South Asian river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is a freshwater or river dolphin found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan which is split into two subspecies, the Ganges river dolphin (P. g. gangetica) and Indus river dolphin (P. g. minor). The range of the South Asian river dolphin is predicted to continue to diminish as those living in sections of rivers isolated from others by dams and barrages disappear due to further habitat loss and climate change. They are also found in the river system of Bangladesh and India. More tragically, the last surviving dolphins are separated into three subpopulations and isolated from each other by barrages and this isolation makes them more vulnerable to other threats. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. All are ram feeders that prey mainly on fish and some shrimp. Although they cannot see images as their eyes lack lenses to focus, they do have an optic nerve and retina and so can detect light and dark. South Asian River dolphins are not demonstrative or acrobatic; they usually surface quickly and unobtrusively although they do sometimes stick their snout right out of the water. South Asian river dolphins are thought to reach sexual maturity at between 6 and10 years old. Support WDC by shopping for yourself or a friend. Try 6 issues of BBC Wildlife for just £9.99, Analysis of skulls reveals that river dolphins in South Asia are two separate species, 2020 was a ‘good’ year for butterflies in the UK, Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures Ltd. – Advertisement, New project to conserve the elusive river dolphins, Increased concern over endangered dolphins in New Zealand following new data, 20+ books on marine and coastal wildlife, including books for children. They are currently categorised as subspecies and scientists are considering the evidence that they have evolved into two species. The Ganges River dolphin lives in one of the world’s most densely populated areas. South Asian river dolphins (Platanista gangetica) are among the most endangered of the world's cetaceans. A new study led by Dr Gill Braulik of the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) at the University of St Andrews has classified the river dolphins in South Asia as two separate species, the Indus river dolphin (Platanista minor, pictured above) and the Ganges river dolphin (P. gangetica). These features help to concentrate nutrients and fish in the river. This is because they live in very muddy waters and have lost their eyesight over millions of years of evolution. Based on their analyses, the scientists concluded that the two dolphins are separate species, and urge that their conservation status be re-examined. South Asian river dolphins, Platanista gangetica(Roxburgh, 1801), aka blind river dolphins, Ganges dolphins, Ganges river dolphins, Ganges susu, and Indus river dolphins, are comprised of two subspecies: 1. South Asian river dolphins have many local names throughout the countries where they live. The South Asian river dolphin is an endangered freshwater dolphin found in the region of the Indian subcontinent. River dolphins in South Asia are two separate species, as analysis of skulls reveals. The South Asian river dolphin has the long, pointed nose characteristic of all river dolphins. Both the Indus and Ganges river dolphins are sometimes referred to as blind dolphins. The South Asian river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is a freshwater or river dolphin found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. The South Asian river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is a freshwater or river dolphin found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan which is split into two subspecies, the Ganges river dolphin (P. g. gangetica) and Indus river dolphin (P. g. minor). Ganges river dolphins, P. gangetica gangetica, and 2. The South Asian river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica) and the Indus river dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) have elongated jaws furnished with numerous curved, sharply pointed teeth: 26–39 teeth in each half of the upper jaw and sometimes slightly fewer in the lower. You can join our team and help us save whales and dolphins. Most observations of the species are from quick surfacing events, as they are completely invisible underwater in their sediment-rich riverine habitats. This study used the largest set of morphology data to date, as well as new analyses of genetic data and comparison of colouration patterns. River dolphins use their conical-shaped teeth and long beaks to capture fast-m Tucuxi (Endangered) – in the Amazon basin in South America. It is a mammal. It is split into two subspecies, the Ganges river dolphin (P. g. gangetica) and Indus river dolphin (P. g. minor). “Recognising the species-level differences between Indus and Ganges river dolphins is extremely important as only a few thousand individuals of each species remain,” says Dr Braulik. It was composed of two subspecies that occur in … Platanista gangetica; Status. There were a number of difficulties to be tackled by the taxonomists. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. “The Indus river dolphin recovery in Pakistan is due to decades of dedicated on the ground work with the government authorities and communities and shows what is possible when we work together,” explains Dr Uzma Khan, Asia Coordinator of the WWF river dolphin initiative. The river dolphins of South Asia are blind, anti-social animals that spend most of their lives swimming on their sides. “They have long been regarded as two of the world’s most threatened mammals and my hope is that our findings will bring much-needed attention to these remarkable animals to help prevent them sliding towards extinction.”. Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Saving the endangered North Atlantic right whale, Meet Delilah – Our Inflatable North Atlantic Right Whale, Sharing the Seas – Safe Boating for Sailors. Their vision is likely to have degenerated as a result of poor visibility in murky, sediment-laden river water. In recent decades, an Italian scientist had suggested in the early 1970s that they were two species, which was dismissed by other scientists. There are two distinct subspecies of river dolphins living in the rivers of South Asia, the Indus river dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) and the Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica). The taxonomy of these dolphins has an interesting history, with the dolphins in the Ganges River named Platanista by Pliny the Elder in his Historia Naturalis published around 77AD. These dolphins never see the ocean, and are a far cry from the popular image of a friendly, leaping marine variety The Indus river dolphin is endemic to Pakistan and was originally decimated by hunting. The South Asian river dolphin is divided into two subspecies, one inhabiting the Indus River of Pakistan (Indus River dolphin - Platanista gangetica minor) and the other the Ganges and associated river systems in India and Nepal (Ganges River dolphin - Platanista gangetica gangetica); a subpopulation of P. gangetica gangetica is also found in the Karnaphuli and Sangu Rivers of Bangladesh. Fish and invertebrates rivers flowing all the way from the Indus river dolphin is now limited to a 700 stretch. Following two decades of research, a landmark study has concluded that the males are than. 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