Google highlights Pakistan’s 76th Independence Day with a doodle featuring the Indus River dolphin. The toothed whale species, known as bhulan in Urdu and Sindhi, is endangered and native to Pakistan. Originally from the ancient Tethys Sea, it adapted to river life after the sea’s disappearance around 50 million years ago.
Found in the lower Indus River and River Beas, these dolphins, functionally blind, employ echolocation to navigate, communicate, and hunt.
They can weigh 155 to 245 pounds and reach up to 8.2 feet in length.
The doodle also provides a glimpse into Pakistan’s freedom movement. In 1947, Pakistan gained independence, ending almost two centuries of British rule.
The Pakistan Movement, led by the All-India Muslim League and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, drove the nation’s quest for independence.
Independence Day celebrations include flag hoisting, anthem singing, and midnight fireworks.
The President and Prime Minister deliver speeches in Islamabad, while dazzling fireworks light up the Karachi sky.