South Asian river dolphins are toothed whales in the genus Platanista.
They inhabit fresh water habitats in the northern Indian subcontinent.
They were historically considered to be one species, but the Ganges
river dolphin (pictured) and the Indus river dolphin were described as
separate species in 2021, having diverged around 550,000 years ago.
South Asian river dolphins are small but stocky cetaceans with long
snouts or rostra, broad flippers, and small dorsal fins. Living in murky
river waters and relying on echolocation for navigation, they have tiny,
lensless eyes. The skull has large crests over the melon, which help
direct their echolocation signals as they prey, mainly on fish and
shrimp. They are active throughout the day in small groups. Both species
are listed as endangered mammals by the IUCN Red List. Major threats
include dams, barrages, fishing nets, and both chemical and acoustic
pollution.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asian_river_dolphin>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1796:
War of the First Coalition: The Battle of Schliengen was fought
between the French and Austrian armies, who both claimed victory.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Schliengen>
1945:
The Charter of the United Nations entered into force after
being ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council and
a majority of the other signatories.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_of_the_United_Nations>
1975:
In protest against wage discrepancy and unfair employment
practices, 90 percent of Iceland's female population went on strike for
a day.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Icelandic_women%27s_strike>
2003:
The inaugural Afro-Asian Games opened in Hyderabad, with 2,040
athletes from 96 nations competing.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Afro-Asian_Games>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
cuttlebone:
Synonym of cuttlefish bone (“the calcareous, oval-shaped internal shell
of a cuttlefish (order Sepiida), originally used in powdered form as an
antacid and for absorbing moisture or polishing objects, and now chiefly
as a dietary supplement for cage birds”)
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cuttlebone>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
We don't invent our missions, we detect them.
--Stephen Covey
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stephen_Covey>
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