The annual census of the rare Irrawaddy dolphins in Odisha’s Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, began on Tuesday morning.
A total of 18 teams have been formed for the exercise — eight in the Satpada range and ten in the Balugaon range. Each team includes more than six enumerators, researchers, and experts, supported by 18 dedicated boats.
The first day of counting ran from 6 AM to 12 noon. Participants included senior officials and experts such as ACF Soumya Ranjan Sahu, Berhampur College zoology professor Chitrasen Sethy, environmentalist Dhaneswar Bidhar, bird expert Hridananda Jena, CDA senior scientist R.N. Samal, junior engineer Man Gobind Mohanty, range officers, forest guards, and representatives from local boat associations.
As in previous years, the census uses GPS tracking, binoculars, the Line Transit Method, and Global Positioning System technology to ensure accurate results.
The exercise will continue until January 22. After Tuesday’s collective count, wildlife department staff will conduct verification over the next two days.
To minimise disturbance, boat movement has been restricted in areas where dolphins are active, and tourists have been barred from visiting Chilika during the census period.
Chilika Wildlife Division DFO Amlan Kumar Nayak confirmed that researchers from the Chilika Development Authority, wildlife department staff, representatives from various conservation organisations, environmentalists, and other experts are all participating in the effort.
The Irrawaddy dolphin population in Chilika is a key indicator of the lake’s ecological health, making this annual census vital for conservation planning.
