Chilika to Hold Bird Census on January 18, Dolphin Count on January 20

Bhubaneswar: Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, is set to conduct its annual bird census and dolphin count later this month to assess the status of avian and marine life in the region.

The bird census will be held on January 18, followed by the dolphin census on January 20, informed Amalan Nayak, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Chilika Wildlife Division, during a meeting at the Chilika Wildlife Office in Balugaon on Friday.

The exercise aims to take stock of the bird population and marine biodiversity in the lake, which is currently witnessing a massive influx of migratory birds. Officials said more than one lakh birds have already been sighted across various parts of the lagoon.

As part of the bird census, 22 teams will be deployed across the lake. Each team will include a bird expert and three to five enumerators, along with two boat operators. The teams will cover key locations such as Satapada, Rambha, Balugaon, Tangi and the Chilika range. The census will be conducted between 6 am and 1 pm.

Participants in the census will include experts from the Bombay Natural History Society, officials from the Odisha Wildlife and Forest departments, students from Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, and members of local birdwatching groups.

Officials said the data collected during the census will provide valuable insights into the health of Chilika’s ecosystem and support ongoing conservation and management efforts.