POST NEWS NETWORK
Kendrapara, Nov 16: The Bhitarkanika National Park will be closed for tourists from January 8 to January 17, 2016 when the forest department will organise the annual census of estuarine crocodiles, said DFO of Rajnagar mangrove (forest) and wildlife division Bimal Prasanna Acharya.
The prohibition order on visitors would be imposed with an aim to prevent noise pollution and facilitate smooth conduct of the headcount drive, Acharya said.
The drive will be organised under the supervision of wildlife personnel and crocodile experts. The enumerators assisted by trained local forest personnel will cover the Bhitarkanika river system besides innumerable creeks, water inlets and nullahs where the reptiles are found in abundance.
During the last annual crocodile census, at least 1,665 estuarine crocodiles, including three measuring more than 20 feet, had reportedly been sighted by the enumerators in the creeks, rivulets and water bodies of Bhitarkanika river system. Of them, 511 were hatchlings, 380 yearlings, 317 juveniles (between 3-6 feet), 149 sub-adults (between 6-8 feet), 308 adults (between 8-18 feet) and three giant crocodiles measuring more than 20 feet.