The three-day enumeration drive is being carried out by the Chilika Wildlife Division in coordination with the Chilika Development Office to assess the current population, distribution, and habitat use of dolphins in Asia's largest brackish water lagoon.
The annual Dolphin census in Odisha's Chilika Lake is scheduled to begin on Saturday. The count will take place in Balugaon Wildlife Division and the Balugaon Range in Chilika. These two ranges are divided into three sectors.
CM Yogi emphasized the need to maintain the purity of ponds and rivers. These dolphins are found in rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Chambal, Ghaghra, Rapti, and Gerua. The estimated population of Gangetic dolphins in Uttar Pradesh is estimated at around 2000.