National Aquatic animal – River Dolphin

Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica) also called as Susu has been declared the National Aquatic Animal as an initiative to save these oldest creatures from becoming extinct. Mostly they are found in pure and fresh water resources and in India we can find them in rivers like Ganga, Meghna and Brahmaputra. These rare species of Dolphins symbolize the purity of river Ganga and hence it is important to develop an action plan to conserve these endangered species. The main threat to Ganges river dolphin is loss of habitat due to pollution, physical barriers, and chemical wastes from industries.