SUNSARI: The annual dolphin census has begun in the Saptakoshi River, within the Koshi Wildlife Reserve.
The census, which has been conducted since 2022, is led by the Reserve and technically supported by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) Koshi Province Office and the Kathmandu-based Himalayan Nature.
According to Bhupendra Prasad Yadav, Senior Conservation Officer at the Reserve, the four-day census will use two different survey methods to count the dolphin population.
Dolphins, known for their intelligence, typically inhabit clean and deep waters. In Nepal, they are found from the Ganga Sagar area to the Koshi River.
In 2012, 11 dolphins were recorded in the Saptakoshi River, and the number increased to 17 in 2017. The rise in population led the Reserve to ramp up conservation efforts.
The most recent count in 2024 recorded 19 dolphins, and this year’s number is expected to be even higher, said NTNC Koshi Province Coordinator Birendra Gautam.
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