Post News Network
Balugaon, March 1: A decline in number of dolphins in Chilika Lake has raised concern among ecologists. According to a recent census of dolphins conducted by the Balugaon Wildlife Division, the number of dolphins has come down to 144 this year, while there were 152 dolphins in the lake as per the 2013 census.
Wildlife experts suspect that the dolphins might have dispersed into the sea under the impact of cyclonic storms Phailin and Hudhud which hit Orissa coasts in 2013 and 2014, said Balugaon divisional forest officer Bikas Ranjan Das.
Out of the 152 dolphins spotted in Chilika Lake during 2013 census, which were of Irrawaddy species, 118 were adults, 16 were of middle age group and 16 babies, Das added.
The 2013 report had noticed an increase of population of dolphins by 4.6 per cent in comparison to 2012. It had also observed an expansion of the habitat of dolphins.
“The significant observation of 2013 population estimation are the sighting of dolphins in Northern sector during the survey. Eight numbers of dolphins were sighted from Northern sector which is an indication of the expansion of their habitat,” report said.
“Another significant observation is the increase in the number of calves and neonates, which is 38.9 per cent increase over the last year’s figure,” it added.
Even though dolphin census was conducted in the lake in 2014, the report could not be published. This year the census was conducted February 15, but the report was published February 28.
Meanwhile, local ecologists claim that the number of the dolphins is much lower than the number mentioned in the
census report.
