122 nesting sites of estuarine crocs spotted in Bhitarkanika National Park

Kendrapara (Odisha): A total 122 nesting sites of estuarine crocodiles were spotted by forest department personnel in the marshy wetlands of Bhitarkanika national park here, officials said.

The sighting of nesting sites has re-established Bhitarkanika as the largest habitat of these animals in Odisha, the divisional forest officer of Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav said.

Bhitarkanika National Park is home to 70 per cent of the country's estuarine crocodile or saltwater crocodiles. Their conservation had started in 1975 and the population of the reptile in the national park has increased manifold from 96 in 1975 to 1793 so far, he said.

Adequate conservation measures by the state forest department have led to a systematic rise in the number of these reptiles over the years, forest officials said. Incidentally Odisha is the lone state in the country where three crocodile species - salt-water, gharial and mugger - are found inhabiting the river systems.

Female crocodiles lay 50 to 60 eggs annually and the hatchlings usually emerge from the nests after 70 to 80 days of incubation period, crocodile researcher Sudhakar Kar said.

The female crocodiles guard the eggs from predators like jackals, wild dogs, fishing cats, vultures, water monitors, wild boars and other animals. They also cover their eggs with leaves to prevent the ingress of rainwater during the monsoon, he said.

Every year, the national park remains shut May 31 - July 31 to ensure disturbance-free nesting of crocodiles, the official said.