At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Increasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Indus river dolphin is a freshwater dolphin that is essentially blind and navigates by echolocation. It is assessed as Endangered.
It is restricted largely to the lower Indus, fragmented by irrigation barrages.
Range & habitat
The Indus River system of Pakistan and India.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Dams and barrages fragmenting the river
- Bycatch
- Reduced water flow and pollution
Why it matters
A blind river dolphin surviving in a heavily engineered river, the Indus river dolphin is a flagship for balancing irrigation with freshwater wildlife.
Sources
Sources for Indus River Dolphin
- IUCN Red List — look up Indus River Dolphin (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Indus river dolphin nearly blind?
Like its Ganges relative, it lives in murky river water and relies on echolocation rather than sight, with eyes that cannot form clear images.
Why is the Indus river dolphin Endangered?
Published assessments cite barrages that fragment the river, bycatch, reduced water flow, and pollution. Targeted protection has helped some numbers recover. See the IUCN Red List.
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