Post News Network
Kendrapara, Feb 28: The Bhitarkanika National Park and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary have proved to be a potential area for conservation of cetacean species, as six types of dolphin species have been found at the Park and sanctuary area in the recently concluded dolphin census. The survey was carried out by the direct
sighting method.
The result reveal the presence of at least six species of cetaceans from these diverse wetland habitat namely Irrawaddy Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis), Humpback Dolphin (Sousa plumbea) Pan tropical Spotted Dolphin and Finless Porpoises.
“As many as 58 Irrawaddy dolphins, 23 Bottlenose dolphins, 123 Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinesis), 50 Sousa Plumbea, 15 Pan tropical spotted dolphins and one Finless Porpoise dolphin were sighted by the enumerators,” Bimal Prasanna Acharya, DFO of Rajnagar
mangrove forest and wildlife division, said.
Rajnagar Mangrove Forest Division (Wildlife) encompasses a wide diversity of wetland habitat. The major wetland habitat type can be classified as estuarine wetland, backwater habitat, rivers and creeks habitat and marine habitat. Cetaceans being mammals are one of the most important components of a wetland habitat. These are the indications of a healthy wetland habitat. Their habitat selection is very unique and specific.
“To have an overall knowledge of these wetland habitat, a status
survey of these cetaceans was
conducted February 15,” said Dr Mumtaj Khan, a dolphin researcher, who was in the dolphin status
survey team.
According to Khan, 58 Irrawaddy dolphins were sighted by enumerators at Bhitarkanika National park and its adjoining areas and also at Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary. Two types of Humpback dolphin species (including Sousa Plumbea and Sousa Chinesis), Bottlenose dolphin, Pan tropical spotted dolphin were sighted at Gahirmatha Marine sanctuary within a kilometer from the coastline. “As the dolphin figure at Bhitarkanika Park and its adjoining areas, including Gahirmatha sanctuary, is encouraging, it needs more study and measures would be taken by the forest department for its conservation,” Acharya said.
“If enumerators go over one kilometer from the coast of Gahirmatha sanctuary, there is a possibility that more species would be found in greater numbers. Due to limited resources, enumerators carried out the census within a kilometer from the coast,” Khan said.
