Kendrapara: The Bhitarkanika National Park personnel have spotted over 55 nests of saltwater crocodile inside the Kanika forest range within the national park during the ongoing nesting season. ACF-cum-Range in-charge of Kanika forest range, Manas Kumar Das said Forest personnel have sighted the crocodile nests at Chintamani Mohanty creek, Thanapati, Mangalpur, Saguna Chera creek, Jalahar creek, and Bhitarkanika Patia creek inside the Bhitarkanika National Park.
Female crocodiles lay eggs inside the mangrove forest near the waterbodies of the park areas and guard the eggs till the emergence of the hatchlings. The crocodiles lay eggs by creating a mound-like structure of a nest with mangrove leaves. The hatchlings emerge from the nest after a gap of about 60 to 70 days. As the female crocodiles in Bhitarkanika National Park grow up to 14 feet long, they lay nearly 45 to 60 eggs. If the length of a female crocodile is more than 14 feet, then she would lay more numbers of eggs. Forest officials claimed that nearly 50 per cent of laid eggs are infertile. The Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division has already imposed a three months ban, from May 1 to July 31 to count the crocodile nests in the waterbodies of Bhitarkanika National Park and nearby rivers. Tourists’ entry into the crocodile infested areas of Bhitarkanika National Park has been restricted. The Forest officials have also asked the riverside villagers to inform them if they come across any crocodile outside the park area.
Due to hyper-salinity in the waterbodies of Bhitarkanika National Park during the full moon and new moon period, the saltwater crocodiles generally stray away from their natural habitats as their body temperature changes and go in search of less saline water. The saltwater crocodiles sneak into the Brahmani, Baitarani, Patashala , Govari and Kharasrota rivers leading to a man-crocodile conflict in which the riverside villagers fell prey to the crocodile attack, Forest officials said.
