Rajnagar: Dolphin population in Bhitarkanika wetland and Gahirmatha marine sanctuary has seen an increase this year more than any other water body in the state. Reports said that 550 out of 733 dolphins identified in the water bodies all over the state were traced in Bhitarkanika and Gahirmatha marine sanctuaries. This means that 75 per cent of the total dolphins have been identified in these two sanctuaries. This year 544 dolphins were spotted under Gahirmatha range while four dolphins were identified in the Kanika range and two in the Rajnagar forest range.
Among them, 208 Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea), 281 Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins also known as the Chinese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis), 52 bottlenose dolphins, and three spinner dolphins were found during the census drive. Last year, 726 dolphins were identified in the state in a census out of which 540 were identified in Gahirmatha and Bhitarkanika alone. In comparison to last year, the dolphin population has decreased by three in the state while it is 10 more in Bhitarkanika than last year’s count.
Similarly, four Irrawaddy species of dolphins were found from Khola to Kantiakhal areas under Kanika range and two in Rajnagar range. These are the findings of dolphin census conducted in the deltaic river systems flowing through the Bhitarkanika National Park and the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary from December 21 to December 23. Nine teams led by DFO Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav participated in the census drive.