{"id":2652,"date":"2025-05-15T15:40:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T10:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/?p=2652"},"modified":"2025-05-15T15:40:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T10:10:23","slug":"national-aquatic-animal-of-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/upsc\/national-aquatic-animal-of-india","title":{"rendered":"National Aquatic Animal of India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">National Aquatic Animal of India<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Ganges River Dolphin or also called \u2018Susu,\u2019 is the National Aquatic Animal of India<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ganges River Dolphins (Platanista Gangetica) was <strong>officially discovered in 1801<\/strong>. Ganges River Dolphin is one of the National Symbols of India. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was<strong> recognised as the\u00a0National Aquatic Animal\u00a0in 2009<\/strong>, by the Government of India. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Ministry of Environment and Forests notified <\/strong>the Ganges River Dolphin as the National Aquatic Animal in May 2010.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s national aquatic animal, the Gangetic dolphin (susu), <strong>is<\/strong> <strong>blind and finds its way in the Ganges using sound waves.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">National Aquatic Animal: Gangetic River Dolphin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) <\/strong>is a species of <strong>freshwater dolphin<\/strong> classified in the family <strong>Platanistidae<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ganga River Dolphin is <strong>endemic to the Indian sub-continent<\/strong>, and is also known as the <strong>Tiger of the Ganga.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It lives in the <strong>Ganges and related rivers of South Asia<\/strong>, namely in the countries of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is also known by the name <strong>susu <\/strong>(popular name) also <strong>shihu in Assam<\/strong> and <strong>shushuk in West Bengal and Bangladesh.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ganges river dolphin has been <strong>recognized by the Government of India<\/strong> <strong>as its National Aquatic Animal<\/strong> in 2009 and is the official animal of the Indian city of Guwahati. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its first occurrence, <strong>within the Hooghly River,<\/strong> was documented by <strong>William Roxburgh.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ganges Dolphin is <strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-theme-palette-3-color\">among the four \u201cobligate\u201d freshwater dolphins found in the world \u2013 the other three are the \u2018baiji\u2019 found in the Yangtze River (China), the \u2018bhulan\u2019 of the Indus (Pakistan) and the \u2018boto\u2019 of the Amazon River (Latin America)<\/mark><\/strong>. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Although there are several species of marine dolphins whose ranges include some freshwater habitats, <strong>these four species live only in rivers and lakes<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Chinese River Dolphin was declared functionally extinct<\/strong> by a team of international scientists in 2006.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"917\" src=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ganges-River-Dolphin_LotusArise-1024x917.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2653\" style=\"width:832px;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ganges-River-Dolphin_LotusArise-1024x917.webp 1024w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ganges-River-Dolphin_LotusArise-300x269.webp 300w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ganges-River-Dolphin_LotusArise-768x688.webp 768w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ganges-River-Dolphin_LotusArise-1536x1376.webp 1536w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ganges-River-Dolphin_LotusArise.webp 1561w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Distribution of National Aquatic Animal:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It lives along the <strong>Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna<\/strong> and <strong>Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems<\/strong> of Bangladesh and India, and the <strong>Sapta Koshi and Karnali Rivers<\/strong> in Nepal. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ganges river dolphin favours <strong>deep pools, eddy countercurrents located downstream of the convergence of rivers<\/strong> and of <strong>sharp meanders, and upstream and downstream of midchannel islands.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"990\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ranges-of-the-Ganges-river-dolphin.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2654\" style=\"width:780px;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ranges-of-the-Ganges-river-dolphin.png 990w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ranges-of-the-Ganges-river-dolphin-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ranges-of-the-Ganges-river-dolphin-768x442.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ranges of the <strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#ea6c08\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Ganges river dolphin<\/mark><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"707\" src=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Distribution-of-Ganga-River-Dolphin-1024x707.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2655\" style=\"width:791px;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Distribution-of-Ganga-River-Dolphin-1024x707.png 1024w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Distribution-of-Ganga-River-Dolphin-300x207.png 300w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Distribution-of-Ganga-River-Dolphin-768x530.png 768w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Distribution-of-Ganga-River-Dolphin-1536x1061.png 1536w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Distribution-of-Ganga-River-Dolphin-2048x1414.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Threats to National Aquatic Animal:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bycatch:<\/strong>\u00a0These dolphins and people both favor areas of the river where fish are plentiful and the water current is slower. This has led to fewer fish for people and more dolphins dying as a result of accidentally being caught in fishing nets, also known as bycatch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pollution:<\/strong>\u00a0Industrial, agricultural, and human pollution is another serious cause of habitat degradation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dams:<\/strong>\u00a0Construction of dams and other irrigation-related projects make them susceptible to inbreeding and more vulnerable to other threats because they cannot move to new areas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dolphins below a dam are threatened by heavy pollution, increased fishing activities and vessel traffic. They also have less food because dams disturb the migration, breeding cycles and habitat of fish and other prey.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conservation Status of National Aquatic Animal:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Indian Wildlife (Protection), Act 1972: Schedule I.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>International Union for the Conservation of Nature\u00a0(IUCN): Endangered.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species\u00a0(CITES): Appendix I\u00a0<\/strong>(most endangered).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Convention on Migratory Species\u00a0(CMS): Appendix II<\/strong>\u00a0(migratory species that need conservation and management or would significantly benefit from international co-operation).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"455\" height=\"446\" src=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Conservation-Status-of-National-Aquatic-Animal.png\" alt=\"Conservation Status of National Aquatic Animal\" class=\"wp-image-2656\" style=\"width:463px;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Conservation-Status-of-National-Aquatic-Animal.png 455w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Conservation-Status-of-National-Aquatic-Animal-300x294.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 455px) 100vw, 455px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Initiatives for Dolphin Protection:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Project Dolphin:<\/strong>\u00a0The Prime Minister announced the government\u2019s plan to launch a Project Dolphin in his Independence Day Speech 2020. It will be on the lines of\u00a0<strong>Project Tiger<\/strong>, which has helped increase the tiger population.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dolphin Sanctuary: Bihar\u2019s Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary<\/strong>, established in 1991, plays a key role in protecting these endangered dolphins, supported by local communities and conservation projects like Project Dolphin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conservation Plan:<\/strong>\u00a0The Conservation Action Plan for the Ganges River Dolphin 2010-2020, which \u201cidentified threats to Gangetic Dolphins and impact of river traffic, irrigation canals and depletion of prey-base on Dolphins populations\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Ganga River Dolphin Day:<\/strong>\u00a0The\u00a0<strong>National Mission for Clean Ganga<\/strong>\u00a0celebrates\u00a0<strong>5<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0October<\/strong>\u00a0as National Ganga River Dolphin Day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>National Aquatic Animal of India National Aquatic Animal: Gangetic River Dolphin Distribution of National Aquatic Animal: Threats to National Aquatic Animal: Conservation Status of National Aquatic Animal: Initiatives for Dolphin Protection:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"years":[],"class_list":["post-2652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-upsc"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":1,"label":"UPSC"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"LotusArise","author_link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/author\/team-lotusarise"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":1,"name":"UPSC","slug":"upsc","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":1269,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1,"category_count":1269,"category_description":"","cat_name":"UPSC","category_nicename":"upsc","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2652"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2652\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2652"},{"taxonomy":"years","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/years?post=2652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}