58 crocodile nests sighted in Bhitarkanika

KENDRAPARA:   Around 58 nests of saltwater crocodiles have been spotted in the mangrove forest of Bhitarkanika National Park. Bhitarkanika DFO Bikash Ranjan Dash said 58 nesting sites with 50-60 eggs in each of them were sighted by forest officials. The eggs will hatch within 75 days. Last year, the forest officials had sighted 103 crocodile nests in the forest.

They expect to find more in the next two weeks. Entry of tourists into the park has been restricted from May 1 to July 31 as it is the mating and breeding season of crocodiles. “The female reptiles guard the eggs from predators like jackals, wild dogs, fishing cats, vultures, water monitors, wild boars and other animals.

The crocodiles also cover their eggs with leaves to prevent ingress of rainwater into the nests during monsoon,” said the DFO. In 1975, the Ministry of Forest and Environment in collaboration with UNDP had started a crocodile breeding and rearing project in Dangamala within the park.

Owing to the success of the project, the crocodile population started increasing in the creeks, river and other water bodies of the park and its nearby areas due to which the Forest department stopped the crocodile breeding and rearing programme nine years back in Dangamala. “But we will collect a few eggs to breed them in the breeding centre at Dangamala for tourists, researchers and herpetologists,” said Dash, adding the 45-year-old crocodile breeding centre was renovated four months back under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) programme at cost of Rs 57.83 Lakh.