The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

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• Habitat loss and degradation due to burning of
grasslands, clearing for agriculture and livestock
grazing.
• Disease transmission.
Conservation Measures in Place
None.
References
Mitchell and Punzo 1976, Duckworth et al. 2008a, Baral et al. 2009,
Nepal Red List of Mammals Field Technicians Workshop 2010.
4) Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica
(Roxburgh, 1801)
Common Names
Ganges River Dolphin (English); Shons, Su-su
(Nepali)
Synonyms
Platanista minor (Owen, 1853)
Species Description
Long beak, bearing a row of sharp, interlocking
teeth designed to trap prey. Large, paddle-shaped
flippers and a low hump on the back. Colour varies
from slate blue to muddy brown.
Species Ecology
South Asian River Dolphins occur around the
confluences of rivers in counter-current pools and
sharp meanders. Dolphins concentrate in locations
of high prey availability (fish and crustaceans) and
water to make it reduced water flow. A seasonal
pattern of migration is observed with dolphins
following their prey species into the smaller
tributaries during high water levels of the monsoon
season, returning to the main channel at the end of
monsoon.
Sexual maturity is reached at approximately ten
years of age, breeding can occur throughout the
year and a single young is produced after a
gestation period of eight to twelve months.
Conservation Status
Global: Endangered A2abcde
Conservation Recommendations
i) Undertake extensive surveys to determine species
presence in Nepal.
ii) Explore the feasibility of reintroduction and
captive breeding programmes. If recommended,
establish a captive breeding population for phased
reintroduction of animals into selected protected
areas following proper field assessments.
National: Critically Endangered C2a(i); D
Rationale for assessment: The South Asian River
Dolphin (Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica) has
been assessed as Critically Endangered under
criterion C2a(i);D. The population in Nepal currently
has fewer than 50 mature individuals and has
experienced a continuing decline since the 1980s
as a result of uncontrolled waste disposal, water
development projects such as dams, disturbance,
over fishing, accidental death due to certain types
of fishing techniques and poaching. The population
is restricted to very few river systems and these
systems continue to be threatened. The population