ForumIAS LATEST
- SFG FRC 2027 | Program starts from 19th Dec. 2026 | Admissions open for Entrance Test Click Here to know more →
- Prelims Test Series (PTS) for Prelims 2027 starts 11th Oct. 2026 Click Here to know more →
- [Pre-order] Ethics Redbook 3rd Edition: Delivery starts from 10th October onwards Click Here to Read More →
- 21 Sept. | GS Advance Program (GSAP) for UPSC 2027 Mains starts from 11th Oct. Click Here to Read More →
News: Bihar government is setting up India’s first Dolphin observatory in the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary(VGDS).
Facts:
- Gangetic river dolphin: It is India’s national aquatic animal found in parts of the Ganges, Meghna and Brahmaputra river systems in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
- They are locally known as Susu which refers to the noise the dolphin is said to make when it breathes.
- Significance: They can be an indicator of the health of the freshwater ecosystem as they can only live in freshwater.
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
- Threats: Declining water level, Climate Change, Poaching and increase in pollution level.
Additional Facts:
- Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary(VGDS): It is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar.It was designated as a protected area for the Gangetic dolphins in 1991.
