The Irrawaddy dolphin population in Odisha’s Chilika Lake has held steady at 159, matching the figure recorded in 2025, according to the latest census released by the wildlife wing of the forest, environment and climate change department on Wednesday.
While the Irrawaddy count in the brackish lagoon remained unchanged, the Chilika Lake saw a slight uptick in humpback dolphins of the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean species, recording 16 as compared to 15 in the previous year.
The comprehensive population estimation exercise across the Odisha coast and Chilika Lake sighted a total of 765 dolphins spanning six different species.
The state-wide tally included 208 Irrawaddy dolphins, 495 humpback dolphins, 55 bottlenose dolphins, three spinner dolphins, and two finless porpoises.
Beyond Chilika, Irrawaddy dolphins were spotted in several other clusters – nine in the Bhitarkanika Marine Sanctuary, 12 in the Puri wildlife division, 13 in the Berhampur division, and 15 in the Balasore wildlife division, the census said.
“Odisha has recorded the highest dolphin count in five years at 765,” the state’s principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha posted on X.
“Strong conservation efforts, habitat protection and community participation drive a major milestone in marine biodiversity conservation,” he said.
The 2026 figures show a notable increase from the 2025 census, which estimated 710 dolphins across the state’s waters.
The 2025 data had recorded 188 Irrawaddy, 498 humpback, 16 bottlenose, and eight spinner dolphins.
Dolphins are protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Irrawaddy species is specifically listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Despite the population remaining static in Chilik, the lagoon continues to have the highest concentration of Irrawaddy dolphins in a single area globally, a forest officer said.
Odisha’s coastline has recorded a remarkable conservation milestone with a total of 765 dolphins and other cetaceans documented during the 2025–26 population estimation survey. From the globally significant Irrawaddy dolphin population in Chilika Lagoon to the strong presence of… pic.twitter.com/kXAhjDrMZZ
— Prem Kumar Jha (@Prem_CWLWOdisha) February 10, 2026
Amlan Nayak, DFO of Chilika Wildlife Division, said that the unchanged count might be due to the sea mammals migrating to other coastal stretches rather than a lack of growth.
In the Berhampur division, the Irrawaddy dolphin was not sighted during last year’s count. This time, their number stood at 13.
“It is a good sign that the species has been sighted this time in the Ganjam coast,” said Dibya Shankar Behera, assistant conservator of forests, Khallikote.
