Dolphin Census Begins in Chilika Following Bird Count

Berhampur: The annual dolphin census commenced in the Chilika Wildlife Division on Monday, following the mid-winter waterfowl count. This three-day exercise aims to assess the dolphin population in Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, which is home to the iconic Irrawaddy dolphin.

A total of 18 groups, each comprising 5–8 members, including experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), are involved in the census. The teams are equipped with essential tools such as Chilika’s map, binoculars, spotting scopes, GPS devices, and notebooks to ensure accurate data collection, informed Chilika Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Amlan Nayak.

To facilitate the census, local boat operators have been instructed to halt operations during the enumeration period, ensuring minimal disturbances to the dolphins.

A day-long training session for the enumerators was held at Barkul, conducted by scientists from the Chilika Development Authority (CDA). This session equipped participants with the skills needed to ensure the accuracy of the census.

In the previous year, the dolphin census recorded 173 individuals from two species: 154 Irrawaddy dolphins and 19 bottlenose dolphins.

The dolphin census follows the annual bird count conducted on January 18, which estimated the overall bird population in Chilika at 11.27 lakh, marking a slight decline of around 10,000 birds compared to the previous year. Despite this, officials noted an increase in the diversity of bird species, with 196 species recorded this year compared to 187 species in 2023.

The census efforts highlight Chilika’s ecological importance as a biodiversity hotspot and underscore ongoing initiatives to monitor and conserve its unique wildlife. The results of the dolphin enumeration are eagerly awaited, providing vital data to guide conservation strategies for these charismatic marine mammals.