10 unique creatures found in Indian rivers

Time of India

22-07-2025

Indian rivers are holy and have mythological stories behind each of them. These rivers provide shelter to some of the unique creatures too. One can find the Ganges dolphin and otters to cryptic fish, turtles, and stingrays found nowhere else on Earth.
Most of these marine gems are endangered, and efforts are being made to conserve them.
Let's look at 10 fascinating river creatures in India:
Ganges River Dolphin
This dolphin is mostly known as susu and is also India's National Aquatic Animal, which was recognized in 2009. This species is mostly found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna–Karnaphuli river basins. This species has been listed as endangered by IUCN and is a blind species which navigates and hunts by echolocation.
They prefer deep pools with countercurrents as their habitat.
Chel Snakehead
This species was extinct since the early 20th century but was then rediscovered in 2024 in the Chel River of West Bengal. This is considered the largest snakehead species with bright green scales and yellow-orange stripes on it. The tribal communities mostly know it as Bora Chung. This species is mostly spotted during the monsoon season. This species also has a labyrinth organ, which helps it breathe atmospheric air and also survive in waters where oxygen percentage is low.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Golden Mahseer
This species is mostly found in the Himalayan rivers like Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus basins and is famous mainly in Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh. This has also been listed as an endangered species due to overfishing, habitat fragmentation, and damming. This fish is known for its fantastic leaps and for its great strength, which is why it is known as the tiger of rivers.
Mugger Crocodile
This species is mostly found in slow-moving rivers, lakes, and reservoirs like in the Chambal and Narmada systems.
This species is a predator that feeds on fish, turtles, birds, and other marine species and shares its habitat with gharials. The mugger crocodile has been listed as vulnerable in the IUCN list, and some successful projects in crocodile reserves have boosted numbers.
Smooth-coated Otter
This otter species is present across major rivers in India like the Ganges basin, Western Ghats, and even in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
These otters feed on fish, crabs, insects, small rodents, and are often seen fishing in groups in a V formation. The Tungabhadra Otter Conservation Reserve was established to conserve this species in the Tungabhadra River. They have been under threat due to the loss of wetlands, pollution, poaching, or local consumption.
Indian Softshell Turtle
These turtles are mostly found in the Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, and other major rivers.
They can also be considered as threatened or vulnerable. These turtles have a leathery shell and burrow themselves in sand beds and are considered to be carnivorous. They can easily be found in healthy river habitats. Turtle hatcheries and protected nesting zones have been made to conserve these species.
Ganges Whipray
This species is mostly found in the Ganges basin and has been listed as endangered by IUCN. This species has a flattened body with a venomous tail spine, and its traits match that of a large freshwater stingray.
Earlier, this species was found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra and Meghna systems, but now due to overfishing, river modification, and water pollution, it is severely fragmented.
Dwarf Pufferfish
The pufferfish is mostly found in the Western Ghats in the rivers of Kerala and Karnataka, mostly in slow-flowing rivers. This is a tiny fish with a bright color, and its beak is such that it can break a shell to feed on snails and is also considered to have territorial behavior.
The fish can be considered an indicator of water quality and is under threat due to pollution and the aquarium trade.
Malabar Snakehead
This fish species is only found in the Western Ghat rivers in Kerala and Karnataka and is a predatory fish that is considered to have aggressive behavior. It also builds bubble nests for breeding. This type of fish creates an ecological balance by feeding on smaller fish and mostly feeds on other marine species in hill streams.
Malabar snakehead is listed as vulnerable by IUCN and is threatened by habitat loss and sand extraction.
Goonch Catfish
The Goonch Catfish is mostly found in large rivers in the Indian subcontinent like Ganges tributaries and Brahmaputra, as well as in the Kali River in Uttarakhand. This is considered to be a predator fish and plays a major role in controlling fish populations and also in nutrient cycling. This species is vulnerable to overfishing and habitat loss, and no efforts have been made to conserve this species of fish.
(Image Credits: Canva and Istock)