Record 3,700 crocodiles born in Bhitarkanika National Park

KENDRAPARA: A record 3,700 saltwater crocodiles were born in Bhitarkanika National Park recently. The baby crocodiles emerged from 122 nests.

As per reports, last year, 84 nests were sighted and around 2,500 crocodiles were born. In 2020, around 3,000 crocodiles were born,  in 2019, 3,000 crocodiles, in 2018, around  2,900 crocodiles, and in 2017 around 2,500 hatchlings were born.

Herpetologist and wildlife researcher Dr Sudhakar Kar said the nests, made of mangrove twigs, leaves, mud, etc were sighted in the park. “Nests are usually made by crocodiles in areas on high ground so that they do not get inundated during the high tide of floodwater during the rainy season and can access direct sunlight,” he said.  

A single female crocodile typically lays a clutch of between  40 and 70 eggs that incubate for 70 -80 days and around 50 per cent of hatchlings are born from each nest.  The sex of a baby crocodile depends on the temperature of its egg during a critical moment in the first half of its incubation period. Out of 500 baby crocodiles, only one reaches adulthood.

The forest officials had imposed a three-month ban on entry to the park during the nesting period of the reptiles as the mother crocodiles need a tranquil environment during their mating period from May 1 to July 3,  said JD Pati, divisional forest officer of the park.