Annual dolphin census begins at several places in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: A massive exercise to conduct the annual dolphin census was taken by the wildlife divisions of Puri, Kendrapara and Paradip today. According to official sources, the census is being carried out by 10 teams from Arakhakuda to Astaranga river mouth in Puri.

Similarly, two teams comprising eight officials of Kujanga wildlife division conducted the dolphin census from Mahanadi to Devi river mouth in Paradip.

The census is also underway at Rajnagar, Gahirmatha, Bhitarkanika and Mahakalapada areas in Kendrapara district.

Earlier, on January 17 forest officials, students of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and wildlife activists had conducted the dolphin census at Chilika.

Nearly, 450 dolphins were sighted in the Odisha coast, including 162 in the Chilika Lake in 2018.

The wildlife organisation of forest department usually conducts the annual survey of dolphin population in entire Chilika lake as well as 480-km long Odisha coast in the month of January or February every year.