The annual headcount exercise of Irrawaddy dolphins inhabiting in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary has come to an end, officials said Saturday.
Last year the census teams had sighted 250 dolphins in the sea and deltaic zones.
The census data for this year will be shortly released after conclusion of the compilation process, said Bimal Prasanna Acharya, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Forest Division.
The enumerators covered the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, Dhamara coast, estuaries in Bhitarkanika, Hukitola, Paradip and Kujang coast.
A status survey of these marine animals is vital for the study of growth pattern of species living within the brackish water bodies and shallow sea waters of this Ramsar international wetland site, said forest officials.