The dolphin census has officially begun today in the Saptakoshi River, part of the Koshi Wildlife Reserve.

This annual census has been conducted since 2022, according to Bhupendra Prasad Yadav, Senior Conservation Officer at the Reserve.

The initiative is being technically supported by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC-Koshi Province Office) and the Kathmandu-based Himalayan Nature.

Dolphins, considered highly intelligent marine mammals, prefer to inhabit clean and deep waters. 

According to the Reserve, these mammals are found from Ganga Sagar to the Koshi River.

The census will be conducted over four days using two different survey methods. In 2012, 11 dolphins were recorded in the Saptakoshi River, and the number rose to 17 in 2017, prompting the Reserve to prioritize dolphin conservation efforts.

The most recent census in 2024 recorded 19 dolphins, and the number is expected to increase this year, said NTNC Koshi Province Coordinator Birendra Gautam.