The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently launched the second nationwide range-wide estimation of riverine and estuarine dolphins under Project Dolphin, which, for the first time, includes the estimation of the Irrawaddy dolphin in the Sundarbans and in Odisha.
About Irrawaddy Dolphin:
It is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia.
Euryhaline organisms survive in a range of salinity. These organisms thrive in saltwater, freshwater, and brackish water.
Scientific Name: Orcaella brevirostris
Habitat and Distribution:
It is found in rivers in South and Southeast Asia: the Irrawaddy (Myanmar), the Mahakam (Kalimatan, Indonesia), and the Mekong (Cambodia).
Indian presence: Occurs mainly in Chilika Lake (Odisha); also reported in the Sundarbans region.
Irrawaddy dolphins prefer coastal areas, particularly muddy, brackish waters at river mouths and deltas, and do not appear to venture far offshore.
Dear Student,
You have still not entered your mailing address. Please enter the address where all the study materials will be sent to you. (If applicable).
