BHUBANESWAR: The annual population estimation of dolphins and cetaceans 2024-25, carried out by the state wildlife wing earlier this year, has pegged the number of the majestic mammals in Odisha at 710.
As per the estimation of the three-day exercise, carried out from January 27 to 29 this year, the state has 188 Irrawadi dolphins, 498 Humpback dolphins, 16 Bottle-nose dolphins and eight Spinner dolphins.
Division-wise Mangrove (Wildlife Division), Rajnagar has the highest number of 505 dolphins. The division this year has recorded 470 Humpback dolphins, 22 Irrawadi dolphins, five Bottle-nose dolphins and eight Spinner dolphins.
Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon Chilika has recorded the highest 159 Irrawadi dolphins. It has also recorded 15 Humpback dolphins this year. This apart, 13 Humpback dolphins have been spotted in the marine ecosystem of Berhampur division, while seven Bottle-nose dolphins and seven Irrawadi dolphins have been counted in Puri (Wildlife) and Balasore (Wildlife) divisions respectively. Bhadrak Wildlife Division has also recorded four Bottle-nose dolphins.
The overall dolphin population in the state was 743 in 2023-24 estimation, 733 in 2022-23 estimation and 726 during 2021-22. Sources said the marginal plunge in the population this year is primarily due to sighting of 34 fewer Humpback dolphins and 11 fewer Bottle-nose dolphins.
Besides, no finless porpoise was sighted in the dolphin and cetaceans enumeration exercise this year. Their number was one in 2023-24 estimation and three in 2021-22 estimation.
Forest officials, however, termed the dolphin population in the state as steady with their figures fluctuating in the range of around 720 to 750 for the last four years. The number of Irrawadi dolphins has increased by eight, from 181 last year to 188 this year, they said adding, the figure is also an indication of the healthy marine ecosystem in the state.
“Our conservation efforts will continue to protect these species and their habitats to secure their sustained growth in the state,” a senior wildlife official said.