Ganges Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle ("Chitra indica"), Indian softshell turtle ("Nilssonia gangetica"), Indian peacock softshell turtle ("N. hurum") and Cantor's giant softshell turtle ("Pelochelys cantorii"; only in the lowermost section of Ganges basin). Most of these are seriously threatened. The river's most famed fauna is the freshwater Ganges river dolphin ("Platanista gangetica gangetica"), which has been declared India's national aquatic animal. This dolphin used to exist in large schools near to urban centres in both the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, but is now seriously threatened by pollution and dam construction. Their numbers have now dwindled to a quarter of their numbers
St. Pierre Island of "Casuarina equisetifolia" trees up 12 m (40 ft) high on its northwestern part, covering a third of the land area. The trees were originally planted as windbreak for the mining camp, and have unexpectedly thrived and spread. Most of the plant species once found on St Pierre are now gone, including the "Pisonia", Suicide Tree ("Cerbera odollam") and rosemallow ("Hibiscus tiliaceus"). Some "Pemphis acidula" might persist. By about 1960, it was noted that the most common herbaceous plant was "Stachytarpheta indica", while the introduced Indian Blanketflower ("Gaillardia pulchella") had established itself widely. Sisal ("Agave sisalana"), Chinese tiolet ("Asystasia gangetica"),