Report by Samyukta Mallick
The dolphin census is conducted every year. This year, it is held in Bhitarkanika National Park and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha. It began on December 21, 2022 and will end on December 24 2022.
A census is an official population count. The dolphin census is a count of dolphins which will span over three days. It is conducted by wildlife experts. They have the equipment for the count, such as binoculars, trackers, data recording sheets, and rangefinders which will ensure an accurate result.
The census will follow the “Transect Survey Method”. It is a way of counting the population of marine animals. A transect is a path or line running through a particular habitat. This method uses the line to record the number of animals present there.
In 2021, a total of 544 dolphins were seen in Chilika Lake, Odisha. This year, the population of dolphins has increased. There are now a total of 726 dolphins. Six species – Bottlenose, Humpback, Spinner, Irrawaddy, Finless and Striped Dolphins – were seen.
Chilika Lake is known for its Irrawaddy Dolphins. However, there was a drop in number from 162 in 2021, and 151 in 2022. Chilika Lake is also the largest brackish (a mix of seawater and river water) water body along eastern India.
