International meet to save Irrawaddy dolphins begins

BHUBANESWAR - A two-day international conference on the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins began here Thursday with around a hundred experts, officials, scientists and conservationists participating, an official said.

The delegates attending the event, which is being called the first international workshop on Irrawaddy dolphins in India, included participants from Asian countries like Japan, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

“Water is central to human development and is being increasingly realized as the earth’s most precious natural resource,” U.N. Behera, principal secretary of Orissa’s forest and environment department, said.

“Wet lands are of great importance to life on earth. To develop a concrete conservation plan, information on under water behaviour of the dolphin is highly essential,” he said, adding that experts and scientists participating in the workshop will deliberate on this important topic.

Dozens of research papers expected to be presented at the workshop are likely to help the authorities devise a better strategy for conservation of the sea species, which is facing extinction.

The Chilika Development Authority (CDA) is organising the event in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, Japan.

The Chilika Lake, located in Orissa is home to more than 150 endangered Irrawaddy dolphins whose population in the world is estimated to be around 900.

Customised hydrophones - a device to record the sounds of dolphins under water - developed by researchers from Tokyo University were first put to use in Chilika.

“The hydrophones were extremely useful for observing the underwater behaviour of Irrawaddy dolphins. Experts are also likely to discuss the technology used by Tokyo University researchers.