The Ganges River dolphin has a long beak, a stocky body, and large flippers.

Its eye lacks a lens, and the dolphin is sometimes referred to as being blind, although its eyes do seem to function as a direction-finding device. It measures 1.5 - 2.5 m (4.9 - 8.2 ft) in length and weighs up to 90 kg.

It occurs only in fresh water, in Bangladesh and India, where the rivers flow slowly through the plains, as well as in Nepal, where the dolphin can be found in relatively clear water and rapids.

The Ganges River dolphin lives not only in the main channels, but also, during the flood season, in seasonal tributaries and flooded lowlands.

The Ganges River dolphin feeds on several species of fish, invertebrates, and possibly turtles and birds. It does much of its feeding at or near the bottom.

To find food, it probably uses echolocation and also probes with its sensitive snout and flipper for prey in the bottom mud.