Postmortem of a juvenile male Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica) in Bangladesh

Abstract A juvenile male Ganges River dolphin ( Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica ) was accidentally trapped in a seine net, rescued as dead and brought for postmortem examination to the Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Hospital. This endemic species has suffered an expressive population reduction over the last few decades. Therefore, the necropsy aimed to reveal the factors for the dolphin's death. The study revealed a few bruises and scratches in the lateral thoracic region of the skin, including congestion of the lung and liver, both macro‐ and microscopically. Furthermore, we observed that the dolphin's stomach was empty, the intestines were filled with gas and there was a cyst on its wall. The authors concluded that the dolphin died of suffocation from underwater entrapment in the fishing net. These findings may be helpful for veterinarians and conservationists to make strategies to save this endangered species.