Kendrapara: The nesting process of estuarine crocodiles has started in the Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) here. Forest personnel recently spotted around a dozen nests of estuarine crocodiles in the Kanika Forest Range inside BNP, Subrat Kumar Patra, ACF-cum-Range In-charge of Kanika Forest Range, said.
The forest personnel saw crocodile nests at Chintamani Mohanty Creek, Thanapati, Mangalpur, Saguna Chera Creek, Jalahar Creek and Bhitarkanika Patia Creek inside BNP, said Patra.
Female crocodiles lay eggs inside the mangrove forest near the water bodies of the park and guard them till the hatchlings emerge. Generally, a crocodile comes to lay eggs and builds a nest at the place where it was born or at a nearby place as it is acquainted with the place.
During the nesting season, crocodiles lay eggs by creating a mount like structure with mangrove leaves. Generally, hatchlings emerge from the nest after 60 to 70 days. As the female crocodiles in BNP grow up to 14 feet they generally lay 45 to 60 eggs. If the length of a female crocodile exceeds 14 feet, then it would lay more eggs.
Out of the laid eggs, 10 per cent are generally destroyed by predators and around 50 per cent are infertile, official sources said.
The Rajnagar Mangrove (Wildlife) Forest Division has imposed a three-month ban on tourists from May 1 to July 31, 2019, to count crocodile nests in the water bodies of BNP and nearby rivers.
Forest officials have also asked riverside villagers to inform them if they see crocodiles outside the park as conflict and consequent loss of human lives are frequently recorded during the nesting season.
Lethal assaults by the reptiles and retaliatory attacks by men have become regular in coastal areas of the state.
Eight days back, Mahakalapada Forest and Wildlife Range personnel handed over 59 crocodile eggs that were collected from a crocodile nest at Arada village in Kansar Badadandua Gram panchayat of Mahakalapada Forest Range to their Kanika counterparts to hatch it artificially at the Dangamala Crocodile Breeding and Rearing Centre.
The nest was built by a 10-feet-long female crocodile in the bamboo bush of Susant Mohapatra in Arada village near the Govari River. Forest personnel also rescued the crocodile and released it at Kharanashi.
During the last nesting season, 101 nests of estuarine crocodiles were spotted at Kanika, Mahakalapada, Gahirmatha and Rajnagar Wildlife Forest Range Divisions in Bhitarkanika National Park.
Around 1,742 estuarine crocodiles, including four measuring more than 20 feet, are living in the creeks and water bodies inside BNP, forest sources said.