Bhubaneswar: Chilika Lake, India’s largest brackish water lagoon will be closed to visitors for four days starting January 18.
The Chilika Wildlife Division will conduct its annual mid-winter bird survey on January 18, followed by a three-day dolphin census from January 20 to 22. To facilitate these surveys, the lake will remain shut for visitors.
As per sources, two training camps will be organized on January 19 at Balugaon and Satapada, where around 145 divisional staff, volunteers, and representatives from non-governmental organizations will participate to prepare them for the dolphin census.
The participants will be divided into 18 teams to count the dolphins visible in the Chilika lake. Local fishermen and boatmen have been requested to assist in the census.
In addition to the dolphin census, the Chilika Wildlife Division has set up 21 temporary bird protection camps to safeguard migratory birds, employing 48 temporary staff members. Each camp will be manned by a forest guard and a forest watcher.
