KENDRAPARA: The population of dolphins in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and its nearby areas within Bhitarkanika National Park marginally increased in December last year. The count of dolphins stood at 550 including six Irrawaddy, 281, bottlenose, 208 humpbacks, 52 striped and three spinner species in the park during the annual census of 2022.
In 2021, 540 dolphins were found in the park, said acting DFO of Bhitarkanika Adhir Behera. The dolphin census was conducted from December 21 to 23, 2022. “We had engaged ten teams to enumerate the dolphins. The census report depended heavily on sighting forms. Forest guards, locals, environmentalists and others were engaged in the exercise conducted in the water bodies of the sanctuary and its nearby areas. The enumerators used GPS to map the exact location of the dolphins during the census,” he informed.
Gahiramatha was declared a marine sanctuary in 1997 by the state government to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles at Gahirmatha beach. Every year, the state government imposes a ban on fishing in the sanctuary from November 1 to May 31 to protect the turtles. The seven-month-long fishing ban also helps maintain the population of dolphins in Gahirmatha.