Odisha’s iconic Chilika Lake buzzes with activity as the much-awaited dolphin census unfolds. Eighteen teams, trained and ready, began operations from Satpada, committing to a three-day marathon to assess Irrawaddy dolphin numbers in this ecological hotspot.
India’s inaugural Ramsar site since 1981, Chilika captivates with its brackish expanse across Puri, Khurda, and Ganjam. Monsoon swells it to vast sizes; summer sees it recede. Beyond biodiversity – including winter migrants – it fuels tourism via dolphin safaris, fishing trips, and trails.
The star, Irrawaddy dolphins, thrive here uniquely inland, alongside coastal kin in nearby sanctuaries. Soumya Ranjan Sahu, Chilika’s Assistant Wildlife Warden, shared insights: intensive trainings preceded launches, with boat-based methods repeating transects for reliable stats. Teams carry high-tech tools: GPS, rangefinders, optics, cameras, and logs.
Synchronized starts marked the kickoff, day one in the books. Two more days promise deeper dives, followed by data crunching. Occasional extras like humpbacks add intrigue, weather permitting.
Sahu’s plea to the public: shun plastics, utilize bins, steer clear of dolphin pursuits. Proximity harms these gentle creatures. Echoing this, WWF’s Sadhvi Sindhura framed the survey as ecosystem barometer. Rigorous paths and formats ensure scientific rigor in a sustained monitoring framework.
‘Healthy dolphins equal healthy Chilika,’ she affirmed, linking conservation to fishermen’s catches and tourist dollars. This census spotlights intertwined fates of nature and communities.