Question

Which is the national aquatic animal of India?
A) Gangetic shark
B) River dolphin
C) Blue whale
D) Sea-horse

Answer 1

Hint: These animal species are one of the significant national symbols of India. It is a fully aquatic mammal that resides exclusively in freshwater or brackish water.

Complete Answer:
- The river dolphins or the Ganges river dolphins are also recognised as ‘Susu’. The scientific name of Ganges river dolphin is Platanista Gangetica (P. Gangetica). On 18th May, 2010, the Ministry of Environment and Forests notified the Ganges river dolphin as the National Aquatic Animal of India.
- In India, the river dolphins are mostly found in the river systems of Ganga and Brahmaputra. The river dolphins are only found in freshwater. These aquatic animals are the peak of the aquatic food chains. P. Gangetica has an elongated sharp nose and also has noticeable teeth in upper as well as lower jaws.
- They are deprived of a lens in their eyes and so could not function exclusively as a resource of distinguishing the path of light. They have a bit thick body with light grey-brown skin frequently with a shade of pink. They have a unique tactic of catching their prey for their food.
- Apart from the river systems of India, the river dolphins are also found in the river systems in Nepal and Bangladesh. They are found in Meghna river systems and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems present in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Note: The main motive to proclaim Ganges river dolphin as the national aquatic animal of India was to save these species from extinction. These aquatic animals are also said to symbolize the purity of the holy Ganga, because these mammals could only survive in clean and freshwater sources.