Dolphin

A C O L O U R I N G A N D S T O R Y B O O K F O R C H I L D R E N

Susu the River DolphinSusu the River Dolphin

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) is the world’s most active charity dedicated tothe conservation, welfare and appreciation of all whales, dolphins and porpoises.

It is staffed by a small, dedicated team of people determined to do their best for the animals andproud of the fact that WDCS’s operating costs are kept to an absolute minimum. The more moneyraised, the more is spent on urgent conservation, research and education projects that really domake a difference to the daily lives and long-term security of thousand of whales, dolphins andporpoises around the world.

If you would like to know more about our work, you can contact us at:

WDCSBrookfield House38 st Paul streetChippenhamWiltshireUK

Tel: (44) (0) 1249 449500Fax: (44) (0) 1249 449501Email: into@wdcs.orgInternet: http://www.wdcs.org

W H A L E & D O L P H I N

C O N S E R V A T I O N S O C I E T Y

A C O L O U R I N G A N D S T O R Y B O O K F O R C H I L D R E N

Susu the River DolphinSusu the River Dolphin

Written by: Alison SmithArtwork: Mark SimmondsDesign: Vanessa Williams

Copyright: WDCS 1998

Re-printed by: WWF Nepal Program (2006)

Courtesy: Nepal Center for Reverine Lives

WWF Nepal Program acknowledges with gratitude the support received for the Freshwater Programfrom all our partners, donors and supporters:His Majesty's Government of Nepal; Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MFSC); Department of National Parks andWildlife Conservation (DNPWC); Department of Forests (DOF); Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS);WWF International; WWF UK; WWF US; WWF Netherlands; WWF Sweden; Swedish International DevelopmentCooperation Agency (SIDA); International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Community Based Organizations; andLocal Communities

gd:t], d ;f]+; -;'+;_ x'“ . d h:tf gbLdf a:g] ;f]+;x¿ ljz]if x'G5g\ lsg eg] xfd|f] ;+Vof Hofbf g} sd 5 .

HelloHelloHelloHelloHello, I am Soush, the river dolphin! River dolphins like me are special because we are so rare.

d]/f] cf“vfx¿ ;fgf ;fgf 5g\ . d]/f] vfg] d'v nfdf] 5 .

dnfO{ kf}8L v]Ng dg k5{ . cem} cf]N6] sf]N6] k/L n8La'8L u/L kf}8L v]Ng t clt g} dg k5{ .

I have small eyes and a long snout. I love swimming on my side or upside down.

d d]/f] ;fyLx¿ h:tf] df5f xf]Og . d ltdLx¿ h:tf] x'“ . d d]/f] 6fpsf] dflysf] Kjfnaf6 xfjfdf ;f; k]mb{5' . ha d kfgL

leq kf}l8G5' To; a]nf d d]/f] ;f;nfO{ /f]sL /fV5“' .

I am not a fish like my friend here. I am a mammal just like you. I breathe air through the blowholeon the top of my head. When I swim underwater, I have to hold my breath.

d d]/L cfdfsf] 5]pd} x'G5', jxf“n] dnfO{ vfgf / b"w v'jfpg' x'G5 .

I stay close to my mother, she takes care of me and feeds me milk.

d]/L cfdfn] vfgf cfjfhaf6 k]mnf kfg'{ x'G5 . pxf“sf] dg kg]{ vfgf ljleGg k|sf/sf df5fx¿ x'g\ .

My mother finds her food by sound. She makes clicking noises and listens to the echo. Herfavourite foods are fish and shrimps.

d]/f] 3/ s0ff{nL gbL xf] . oxf“ d]/f w]/} ;fyLx¿ 5g\ . xfdL of] gbLdf s5'jf, df5f p“b, 38Lofn / dflg;x¿;“u ldnLh'nL

a:5f}+ .

The Karnali River is home to me and all my friends. We happily share the river with turtles, otters,crocodiles, fish-and people !

xfdL dflg;x¿nfO{ dg k/fp“b5f}+ . t/ slxn]sfxL+ ltgLx¿ w]/} df5f dfb{5g\ / vt/gfs hfnx¿ klg xfNb5g\ .

We love people, but sometimes they take too much fish and put dangerous fishing nets in theriver.

d]/f] a'af df5fsf] hfndf km:g' eof] / pxf“n] ;f; k]mg{ ;Sg' ePg . pxf“ 7'nf] cfkbdf kbf{ klg xfdLn] s]xL d2t ug{ ;s]gf}+ .

My father got caught in a fishing net. He couldn't breathe and started to drown. We heard hiscries but could not help him.

Tolts}df Pp6f crDd eof] . Pp6f bofn' d5'jf/f / p;sf] 5f]/f Toxf“ cfP/ d]/f] a'afnfO{ arfP .

Then a miracle happened! The kind fisherman and his son set my father free!

To;kl5 d]/f] v';Lsf] ;Ldf g} /x]g . d kfgLdfly pk|mL pk|mL kf}8L v]Ng yfn]+ .

I was so happy that I started jumping above the water and swim.

WWF is the largest and most experienced independent global conservation organization with almost five million supportersand a network active in more than 90 countries and the International Secretariat in Switzerland. WWF has six globally importantissues to which we apply effort and support. These are the conservation of forest, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, thepreservation of flagship species of special concern, combating the spread of toxic chemicals and protecting nature from climatechange.

Nepal has been a pivotal country for WWF since 1967 when it launched a rhino conservation program in Chitwan. Our supportand involvement in the country has evolved from the early emphasis on species conservation to landscape level programs. In1993, WWF Nepal Program office was established in Nepal. We have been involved in more than 30 different projects andtoday we are one of the key organizations involved in the Nepal's conservation efforts.

FRESHWATER PROGRAMME: Globally, WWF works with partner organizations to conserve rivers and wetlands by redirectingharmful infrastructure and curbing water waste in agriculture through better management practices and poverty reductionschemes compatible with environmentally strong water policies. WWF Nepal Program began the Freshwater Programme inOctober 2004 with an overall objective to minimize impacts and threats to freshwater resources and sustainable utilizationand conservation of water for future generations. The long term vision of the program is: Himalayan water towers and freshwaterhabitats in Nepal are conserved and sustainably managed to benefit people and nature.

WWF Nepal ProgramPO Box: 7660, BaluwatarKathmandu, Nepal.

Tel: 4434820, 4434970, 4410942Fax: 977-1-4438458

e-mail: info@wwfnepal.orgwww.wwfnepal.orgwww.panda.org/freshwaterfor a living planet ®

WWF's Mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's naturalenvironment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony withnature by:" Conserving the world's biological diversity;" Ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable;

and" Reducing pollution and wasteful consumption.