The annual bird census across Chilika Lake will be conducted on January 18, with training for enumerators scheduled a day earlier, officials announced.
Chilika Wildlife Division DFO Amlan Nayak shared the details during a press conference, confirming that the dolphin census will follow from January 20 to 22.
Teams will be deployed across multiple ranges of Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon to record migratory and resident bird populations. The dolphin census, meanwhile, will focus on assessing the population of Irrawaddy dolphins, a flagship species of Chilika.
Authorities stated that the exercise aims to generate updated biodiversity data, strengthen conservation measures, and enhance eco-tourism planning in the region.
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