Spinner dolphin carcass found in Odisha

Source: DowntoEarth

What is the news?

The carcass of a male Spinner dolphin washed ashore in Odisha’s port town of Paradip within the Bhitarkanika National Park on June 30, 2021, taking the number of marine animal deaths in the state within five months to six.

• The reason behind the death is yet to be ascertained
• In Odisha, 544 dolphins belonging to the Irrawaddy, bottlenose and humpback species were counted during the annual census in 2021.

Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris)

• The species’ name, longirostris, is Latin for “long beak,” referring to their slender shaped beak or rostrum.
• Habitat: Spinner dolphins live in large pods from a few dozen to a thousand or more in tropical and subtropical zones around the world. They are the most abundant dolphin species in the Indian Ocean. The spinner dolphin is a rare mammal in Odisha as it is an offshore species and is found in deeper waters as part of large schools.
• Conservation scenario:

• Spinner dolphin is famous for its acrobatic displays in which it spins along its longitudinal axis as it leapt through the air.
• These dolphins need to resurface every 10 to 15 minutes to breathe.
• Threats: Some dolphins die every year after being mistakenly caught in trawling and other nets

Marine animal deaths in Odisha

Other marine animal deaths in Odisha include the following species,

• Irrawaddy dolphin
• Gangetic river dolphin and Indus river dolphin
• bottlenose dolphin