India GO
Ganges river dolphin
सूंस (soons)
India's National Aquatic Animal: a blind, long-beaked freshwater dolphin that navigates entirely by sound and swims on its side.
How to recognise it
You see a smooth grey back rolling once at the surface, and a puff of breath — rarely more. Early morning on calm water, from a slow boat, is the only realistic chance.
Protection
Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Where to see it
Mayapur
West Bengal holds the third largest share of India's river dolphins: 815 of the 6,327 counted in the first countrywide survey published in 2025. The species is India's National Aquatic Animal.
Varanasi
India's National Aquatic Animal since 2009, and Schedule I protected. The first countrywide survey, published in 2025 under Project Dolphin, put the total at 6,327 river dolphins across eight states, the largest share of them in Uttar Pradesh.
The Ganga by Rowing Boat: Assi to Ramnagar