Chilika, one of the first two wetlands to be designated as Ramsar Sites in India, has the unique distinction of having a resident population of the Irrawaddy Dolphin Orcaella brevirostris.
The ecological restoration programme being implemented in the basin of Chilika since 2000, has led to drastic turnaround of the wetland’s biodiversity and ecosystem services. A significant outcome has been steady increase in population and habitat of the globally endangered mammal, Irrawaddy Dolphin. The most recent assessment of dolphin population in Chilika pegs their number at 155.
Read a related story at: https://india.mongabay.com/2018/03/14/chilika-lake-emerges-as-single-largest-habitat-of-irrawaddy-dolphins-in-the-world/
The monitoring outcomes also reaffirm Chilika’s resilience in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressure and a changing climate. Wetlands International South Asia is a proud collaborator of Chilika Development Authority on aspects as integrated management planning, hydrological restoration and establishing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system.
Header Photo by Muntaz Khan