POPULATION STATUS AND CONSERVATION OF THE GANGES RIVER DOLPHIN (PLATANISTA GANGETICA GANGETICA) IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT - Biology, Evolution and Conservation of River Dolphins Within South America and Asia - page 419

Chapter 22
P OPULATION S TATUS AND C ONSERVATION OF THE
G ANGES R IVER D OLPHIN ( P LATANISTA G ANGETICA
G ANGETICA ) IN THE I NDIAN S UBCONTINENT
R. K. Sinha 1  , Sunil Kumar Verma 2 and Lalji Singh 2 +
1 Environmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology,
Patna University, Patna, INDIA
2 Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, INDIA
A BSTRACT
Herein we discuss the Ganges River dolphin ( Platanista gangetica gangetica or
susu) which inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Sangu-Karnaphuli river
systems of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The chapter begins with a discussion of the
origin, evolution, and phylogeny of the Ganges River dolphin as well as river dolphins in
general. Also included are descriptions of past and present distribution patterns of the
Ganges River Dolphin along with its anatomical structure, including primitive characters
and morphological characters of interest. In the second section of the chapter we
elaborate on Ganges River dolphin population surveys we conducted within a 500 km
section of the Ganges River in the state of Bihar during 2005 to 2007. Both upstream and
downstream surveys were performed three times per year. A significantly greater number
of Ganges dolphins were observed per kilometer upstream compared to downstream
surveys (1.28 versus 1.0 respectively) and the mean number of dolphins observed per
upstream survey ranged from 559 to 808. Our results also support spatial and temporal
variation of the Ganges dolphin population with for example a greater number of animals
in confluence areas. These survey results are similar to those obtained from other Ganges
River surveys that used similar methods. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the
Ganges River dolphin's conservation status and major threats to its existence. Direct
catch, incidental catch, pollution, and habitat degradation are all serious threats.
Keywords: Platanista , susu, Ganges River, Phylogeny, India.
 [e-mail]; [e-mail]
+ [e-mail].