At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Ganges shark is a rare river shark of the Indian subcontinent, adapted to murky fresh and coastal waters. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It is genuinely a freshwater-associated shark, unlike the bull shark it is sometimes confused with.
Range & habitat
Rivers and coastal waters of the Indian subcontinent.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Overfishing and bycatch
- Habitat degradation and pollution
- A poorly known, small population
Why it matters
A true river shark that is poorly known and rarely seen, the Ganges shark is a flagship for South Asian river conservation.
Sources
Sources for Ganges Shark
- IUCN Red List — look up Ganges Shark (authoritative status)
- FishBase
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ganges shark the shark behind river-attack stories?
Many such stories actually involve the wider-ranging bull shark. The Ganges shark is a separate, genuinely river-associated species that is rare and poorly known.
Why is the Ganges shark Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite overfishing and bycatch, habitat degradation and pollution, and a small, poorly known population. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: