Indus river dolphin
Indus River Dolphin: A short guide
The Indus river dolphin (Platanista minor) is a freshwater dolphin living in the Indus River system in Pakistan and northwestern India. It is endangered, protected under international law (CITES Appendix I), and is the national mammal of Pakistan as well as the state aquatic animal of Punjab, India.
What it looks like
- Size: about 2 to 2.6 meters long.
- Body: brownish and stocky, with a long, pointed snout.
- Teeth: visible even when the mouth is closed; they change shape as the dolphin ages.
- Eyes: the eye lens is effectively missing, so the dolphin relies on echolocation to sense its surroundings.
How it lives
- It swims mainly on its side to move through shallow, murky water and uses echolocation to navigate and find food.
- A small triangular bump replaces a dorsal fin.
- It is a member of the family Platanistidae.
Where it lives
- Found in the Indus River system in Pakistan and parts of northwestern India.
- A tiny population remains in the Beas River and Harike Wetland in Punjab, India.
- The range once covered about 3,400 km of the Indus and its tributaries; today it spans about 690 km, a decline of around 80% since 1870. The two main river areas are not connected.
Taxonomy and history
- Described in 1853 by Richard Owen.
- For a time, the Indus river dolphin and the Ganges river dolphin were grouped as one species, but recent studies treat them as separate species again.
Why it’s endangered
- Major threats include entanglement in fishing nets, hunting for oil and meat, and pollution.
- Dams and irrigation lower river levels and split dolphin populations, reducing breeding opportunities.
- Water pollution from industry and agriculture also harms them.
Conservation status
- Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- Protected under CITES Appendix I, which bans international trade.
- National mammal of Pakistan and a symbol of conservation in parts of India.
What’s being done
- As of 2022, researchers are using satellite tagging to learn more about their movements and help protect them.
- Ongoing efforts focus on reducing bycatch, protecting critical habitats, and maintaining healthy river flows.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:50 (CET).