The River Dolphin, which has the Latin name Platanistoidea, is India’s national aquatic animal. It is fitting that India does not just have a national animal (the peafowl) but also a national aquatic animal because India is a country not just of plains, rivers and jungles but also of aquatic areas.
Features of the river dolphin: The river dolphin is classified as a type of toothed whale. As its name indicates, it lives not in the sea but in fresh water and brackish inland water. River dolphins are found in India’s rivers, swamps, lakes and brackish pools. The most iconic river dolphin in India is known as the Ganges River Dolphin. Its alternative name is the Susu, and it can be found in the River Ganges and beyond.
Celebrating India’s wildlife: India is an amazingly biodiverse country and it is so important to celebrate this fact by honoring the nation’s national animals, fruits and plants.
Laura