Platanista minor, or otherwise known as the Indus River Dolphin, is relatively the closest animal to the Ganges River Dolphin. The Indus River Dolphin is the second most endangered freshwater animal and one of the rarest animals. This dolphin is virtually blind in its eyes and has no eye lens. It relies on echolocation to find most of its prey. It eats animals like catfish, gobies, carp, and crustaceans like prawns, shrimp, and other prey in the river bed. Occasionally, it eats small birds and turtles.

 

The Indus River Dolphin gets up to 8.2 feet, with the males being smaller than the females, and it usually weighs from 155 pounds to 245 pounds. Its skin color is normally a grey-brown color, with a pinkish tummy or underside. Adults have between 30 and 36 sharp teeth on each side of its rostrum. Those teeth are not only sharp, but are long. Their rostrum is longer than most dolphins’ and it takes up a fifth of their body. They also swim on their side with a triangular hump on their back, broad flippers, and a narrow, flexible neck.

 

The Indus River Dolphin, like a bat, relies on echolocation to find food since they are functionally blind, although some do have poor eyesight. They do well in their habitat by using echolocation to, in a way, see their surroundings and find food. It at times may help them avoid obstacles. They were found in many places but now currently only live in the Indus River in Pakistan.

 

There are currently around 1,100 left. Their population is shrinking. Last year, it was shrinking dramatically, but now the population is only shrinking gradually. This is due to pollution in the waters, being stranded in irrigation canals, and by fisherman accidentally catching them up while fishing. Now in Pakistan, you have to pay a fee to fish in that river. This animal’s only predator has been humans because of the fishing and pollution. While they may not be eaten; they are often killed accidentally.

 

Since there are really no other animals in the Pakistan Indus River where Indus River Dolphins are currently dwelling, they only compete with other Indus River Dolphins to get food. When they want food, they go to the bottom of the river, swimming on their side and use echolocation or probe the bottom of the river with their rostrum to find their prey. Their diet consists mainly of crustaceans, fish, and sometimes small birds or turtles. Since this dolphin is almost extinct, the government protects the dolphins by making sure that fisherman only catch fish in that river.

 

Even though Indus River Dolphins are not the most popular of all the dolphins, they too have a similar fight for survival against mankind’s encroachment and pollution of their habitats. It is commendable that while blind, the dolphins are still managing to survive of these difficulties.

 

Author: Trystan M.
Publish: 2/2011
 

Sources:

"Animal Info - Indus River Dolphin." Endangered Animals - Rare, Threatened and Endangered Animals & Mammals. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. http://www.animalinfo.org/species/cetacean/platmino.htm.

 

Khaskheli, Jan. "The Indus River Dolphin: An Endangered Freshwater River Dolphin." Pakistan Defence. 26 Jan. 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. http://www.defence.pk/forums/general-images-multimedia/20511-indus-river-dolphin-endangered-freshwater-river-dolphin.html

 

"WWF - Indus River Dolphin: The Facts." WWF - WWF. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/pakistan/indus/indus_facts/

 

Picture Source:

Khaskheli, Jan. "The Indus River Dolphin: An Endangered Freshwater River Dolphin." Pakistan Defence. 26 Jan. 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. http://www.defence.pk/forums/general-images-multimedia/20511-indus-river-dolphin-endangered-freshwater-river-dolphin.html