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| Platinesta
Gangetica |
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The
Ganges River dolphin has a long beak, a stocky body
with a rounded belly, and large flippers. Its eye
lacks a lens, and the dolphin is sometimes referred
to as being blind, although its eyes do seem to
function as a direction-finding device. |
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| The Ganges River
dolphin weighs up to 90 kg (200 lb). It occurs only in
fresh water, including slowly flowing rivers as well as
relatively clear water and rapids. It eats a variety of
fish and invertebrates. |
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| Local Names:
Susu; Gangetic Dolphin; Blind Dolphin; Side-Swimming Dolphin.
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Weight/Size:
The Ganges River dolphin weighs up to 90 kg (200 lb) and
measures 1.5 - 2.5 m (4.9 - 8.2 ft) in length |
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Age to Maturity:
Males become sexually mature at 1.70 m (5.6 ft) or less,
at an age of about 10 years. The smallest sexually mature
female so far reported was 2.00 m (6.6 ft). No sexually
mature females have been aged so far. |
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| Gestation Period:
Approximately 1 year. |
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| Birth Season:
Females give birth at any time of the year, usually from
October - March, with a peak in December and January,
at the beginning of the dry season. |
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| Birth Rate:
A single young is born. |
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Early Development:
The young begin eating solid food 1 - 2 months after birth
and are weaned within 1 year . |
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Maximum Age:
The oldest male animal aged so far was about 28 years
old. |
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Diet:
The Ganges River dolphin eats a variety of fish and invertebrates.
Stomach contents of the dolphin have included prawns,
clams, catfish, freshwater shark, mahseers, gobies and
carp |
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Behavior:
Seasonal habits and movements of the Ganges River dolphin
are not well known, but there is some evidence of seasonal
change in distribution, with animals traveling upstream
as the water level rises, and entering smaller streams. |
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| The waters that
The Ganges River dolphin inhabits are extremely murky.
Probably for this reason, the dolphin's sight has degenerated.
Its eye lacks a lens, and the dolphin is sometimes referred
to as being blind, although its eyes do seem to function
as a direction-finding device. To find food, it probably
uses echolocation and also probes with its sensitive snout
for fish, shrimp, and other organisms in the bottom mud.
This blindness is one of the reasons why this dolphin
swims on one side underwater, with one flipper trailing
in the muddy riverbed. The physical touch may give the
dolphin important information about its surroundings and
help it to find food. |
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Social Organization:
Reports from the 19th century speak of 'large schools'
of Ganges River dolphins to be seen near most large towns
on the Ganges. However, in more recent times it has usually
been found to occur in small groups or alone. The size
of a number of groups surveyed in the Ganges River system
averaged 1 - 3, with a range of 1 - 20. |
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