Bhubaneswar, Jan 20: The Odisha Forest Department has initiated a census of the rare Irrawaddy dolphins in Chilika Lake, starting Monday. Eighteen teams are conducting the survey across the lake’s three zones—Southern, Northern, and Central. Each team includes Forest Department officials, Chilika Development Authority (CDA) personnel, volunteers, dolphin experts, students, and motorboat association employees.

Last year’s census recorded 158 Irrawaddy dolphins in Chilika, which is renowned for hosting the highest population of this rare species globally. The census is being conducted in the Satpada, Balugaon, Tangi, Krishnaprasad, and Rambha ranges. Eight teams are dedicated to the Satpada range, while the remaining 10 cover other ranges.

The census runs from 6:00 AM to 12:00 noon over three days. To ensure accurate results, both bus and boat traffic in Chilika are suspended during these hours. A training session for participants was conducted on Sunday at Satpada CDA.

This initiative underscores the importance of preserving these endangered dolphins and their habitat.

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