Kendrapara: Around 103 nests of estuarine crocodiles have been spotted in the mangrove forest of Bhitarkanika National Park.
Rajnagar DFO Bikash Ranjan Dash said 103 nesting sites with 50-60 eggs in each of them were sighted by forest officials. The eggs will hatch within 75 days.
The forest officials had sighted 103 crocodile nests in the forest last year as well.
They expect to find more in the next two weeks. Entry of tourists into the park has been restricted due to coronavirus pandemic which also help in the mating and breeding process of crocodiles.
“The female reptiles guard the eggs from predators like jackals, wild dogs, fishing cats, vultures, water monitors, wild boars and other animals,” added Dash.
Dash also said, “The crocodiles also cover their eggs with leaves to prevent ingress of rainwater into the nests during monsoon.”
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.
Bhitarkanika, a Ramsar site, is said to house 70 per cent of the country’s saltwater crocodiles, conservation of which was started in 1975, he said Tuesday.
Every year, the national park remains shut from May 31 to July 31 to ensure disturbance-free nesting of crocodiles.
“Adequate conservation measures by the state forest department have led to a rise in the number of the crocodiles over the years,” the official said.
Though the estuarine crocodiles are also found in West Bengal’s Sunderbans and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the population density of the animal is more in Bhitarkanika, he said.
The wildlife sanctuary continues to remain out of bounds to tourists in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the official added.
PNN