February 26: Yangon: Myanmar and international scientists have begun a census of whales, dolphins and porpoises in the Bay of Bengal as part of a four-nation survey, the semi-official Myanmar Times reported Saturday.

“We will know how many species are living around the bay, especially in the Myeik Archipelago, which is rich in marine biodiversity,” scientist U Mya Than Tun told the paper.

He is one of three Myanmar scientists on the team, and is working with the US-based Wildlife Conservation Society on the project aimed at developing a conservation plan to protect the animals.

The Dolphin Conservation Society based in Britain and the Convention on Migratory Species based in Germany are also sponsoring the research, the paper said.

Some 15 scientists from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the United States are working on the two-week survey, which began February 21.

The team has already surveyed waters off Bangladesh, and studies in India and Sri Lanka are planned for coming months, it said.