- Platanista
gangetica
Gangetic
dolphin
• They are distributed in Ganges, Brahmputra, Indus and their larger tributaries.
• They do not enter the seas.
• Paired pectoral flippers (fins) are more or less triangular in shape.
• The dorsal fin is rudimentary and is seen as fleshy ridge.
• The sweat and oil glands have little value for aquatic mammals, therefore, they
are absent.
Carnivora
- Panthera leo Asiatic lion • Lions are found in Africa and India. In India they are now confined to the Gir
Forest in Gujarat state.
• They exhibit sexual dimorphism. Only males bear long hair (mane) around the
neck.
• About 3 years old female is capable of giving rise to her first litter.
• The period of gestation is about 116 days.
• Male lion looks after the young ones and often gets food for them.
• The life span of a lion is from 20 – 30 years.
- Panthera tigris Tiger • Tigers are found in India, China and Indonesia. They prefer the places with
humid evergreen forests.
• Tigers are good swimmers. They are striped and with short hair.
• As in other carnivores the limbs are digitigrade.
• Canine teeth are well formed and very useful in feeding.
• Tiger is the national animal of India.
- Canis lupus Wolf • Wolves are restricted to the relatively uninhabited areas of N. hemisphere.
• They have slender limbs and are generally good runners, moving on the tips of
their toes (digitigrade).
• They are great menace to stock raisers, killing calves and other young domestic
animals.
- Melursus Sloth bear • Bears are the largest carnivores, heavily built, with short powerful legs,
plantigrade feet, short tails, and elongated snouts.
• They feed on fruits, honey and insects, and can climb trees.
- Odobenus Walrus • The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is found in Arctic waters.
• The upper canines grow downwards, forming elongated tusks.
• A thick layer of fat or blubber under skin insulates against the cold.
• They breed once in three years for which they come on land.
- Phoca Seal • Like walrus, seals also possess streamlined, fish-like form, flipper-like limbs and
strongly webbed feet adapted for swimming.
• They are hunted for oil-yielding blubber and skin.
Proboscidea
- Elephas Elephant • The largest living land animal.
• The nose and upper lip are modified as an elongated proboscis (trunk or
snout).
• Two upper incisors are modified as tusks.
• An African elephant has the largest ears in the animal kingdom.
• Females have smaller tusks than males.
• Elephants use their tusks for defence and in feeding.
• Elephants are the only animals with four knees.
• They are the only animals that cannot jump.
• Elephants are pachyderms (i.e., thick skinned).
