BHUBANESWAR: In a major boost to Odisha’s marine conservation efforts, dolphin population in the state has jumped to 765, registering an impressive growth of nearly eight per cent in a year.
Wildlife authorities said the figure is also the highest recorded for the majestic marine species in last five years, highlighting the positive outcomes of the state’s ongoing protection measures.
PCCF wildlife and chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha informed that the annual population estimation of dolphins and cetaceans 2025-26 carried out last month has pegged the total number of dolphins at 765, around 7.75 per cent more than the 2024-25 count of 710. The overall dolphin population in the state was 743 in 2023-24, 733 in 2022-23 and 726 in 2021-22 estimation.
The latest estimation documented six species of dolphins and cetaceans such as Irrawaddy, Bottlenose, Humpback of both Indo-Pacific and Indian ocean, Spinner and Finless porpoise across the Odisha coast.
“Irrawaddy dolphins’ number is estimated at 208, underscoring Odisha’s global significance for the conservation of this vulnerable species, while Humpback dolphins accounted for the largest share with 495, reflecting the state’s ecological richness of nearshore and estuarine waters,” Jha said.
Population rise shows conservation success: Jha
The estimation also recorded 55 Bottlenose dolphins including 50 in Puri wildlife division, along with sightings of three Spinner dolphins and two Finless porpoises in Rajnagar, indicating a healthy diversity of cetacean species along the Odisha coast.
The estimation was carried out in Chilika lake, Mangrove (wildlife) division of Rajnagar, Puri, Bhadrak and Balasore wildlife divisions and Berhampur forest division. Divisionwise, Rajnagar has the highest 493 dolphins, followed by 175 in Chilika, 66 in Puri, 15 in Balasore, 13 in Berhampur and three in Bhadrak wildlife division.
Jha said Chilika lake continues to be a stronghold for Irrawaddy dolphins with a population of 159, highlighting the success of long-term protection and habitat management at the Ramsar site, while the mangrove-dominated estuaries of Rajnagar supported a remarkable concentration of 474 Humpback dolphins. These have demonstrated the critical role of mangrove ecosystems in sustaining marine mammal populations, Jha said.
He said the comparative analysis of 2026 estimation with previous years suggests a largely stable and, in some regions, improving population trend. “Beyond numbers, the estimation reflects Odisha’s integrated approach to marine conservation, combining scientific rigor, capacity building of field staff and inter-divisional coordination, while generating valuable baseline data for policy formulation, habitat protection and community awareness,” the chief wildlife warden said.
The dolphin estimation was first started in Chilika lagoon during 2008 and expanded to all coastal divisions from 2015 to capture the distribution, diversity and population trends in Odisha’s marine, estuarine and lagoon ecosystems.
Positive count
Total dolphins: 765
Annual growth: 7.75% (from 710 in 2024-25)
Species recorded
Irrawaddy: 208
Humpback: 495
Bottlenose: 55
Spinner: 3
Finless: 2