Berhampur

The population of Irrawaddy dolphins in Odisha’s Chilika Lake has remained stable at 159, according to the latest census conducted by the wildlife wing of the forest, environment and climate change department, officials said on Wednesday.

The count was unchanged from 2025, when the lagoon had also recorded 159 Irrawaddy dolphins. In addition, Chilika reported the presence of 16 Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, one more than last year.

Overall, 765 dolphins and other aquatic mammals belonging to six species were sighted along the Odisha coast and in Chilika Lake during the latest population estimation exercise — the highest number recorded in the state in the last five years.

The sightings included 208 Irrawaddy dolphins, 495 humpback dolphins, 55 bottlenose dolphins, three spinner dolphins and two finless porpoises.

Outside Chilika, nine Irrawaddy dolphins were spotted in Bhitarkanika Marine Sanctuary, 12 in the Puri wildlife division, 13 in the Berhampur division and 15 in the Balasore wildlife division, officials said.

“Odisha has recorded its highest dolphin count in five years at 765,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha said in a post on X, attributing the achievement to strong conservation measures, habitat protection and community participation.

In comparison, the 2025 census had recorded 710 dolphins across the state, including 188 Irrawaddy dolphins, 498 humpback dolphins, 16 bottlenose dolphins and eight spinner dolphins.

Dolphins are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and are categorised as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Despite the Irrawaddy dolphin population in Chilika remaining static, the lagoon continues to host the world’s largest concentration of the species in a single habitat, a forest official said.

Divisional Forest Officer of Chilika Wildlife Division Amlan Nayak said seasonal movement of dolphins to other coastal areas could explain the unchanged numbers.

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Notably, Irrawaddy dolphins were sighted again along the Ganjam coast this year after being absent in last year’s count. “It is encouraging that the species has reappeared in the Berhampur division,” said Assistant Conservator of Forests Dibya Shankar Behera of Khallikote.