Kendrapara: Forest personnel from the Rajnagar Forest Division in Kendrapara district rescued a 5.4-foot-long saltwater crocodile late Monday night from a village pond located on the outskirts of Bhitarkanika National Park. The crocodile rescued late Monday night had entered the pond belonging to a villager Ranjit Mandal in Debendranarayanpur village.
Forest officials believe the estuarine crocodile may have strayed into the pond from the Baunsagadi river which is located about 300 meters from the place, Monday evening. Villagers spotted the reptile in the pond and informed the Rajnagar forest personnel, who promptly arrived and managed to rescue the crocodile using fishing nets after struggling for over three hours. The rescued crocodile was later released into the Mahipur river, forest officials said.