Kendrapara: As many as 122 estuarine crocodile nests were sighted inside four wildlife and forest ranges under Bhitarkanika National Park, DFO of Rajnagar Mangrove (forest) and wildlife division Sudarshan Gopinath Jadhav said.
During the 2022-crocodile nesting season, the forest personnel had also spotted the same number of Saltwater crocodile’s nests inside the water bodies of Bhitarkanika National park and the nearby rivers.
Jadhav said the forest personnel have spotted 107 nests in Kanika forest and wildlife range, 12 nests under Rajnagar forest and wildlife range, one nest inside Gahirmatha forest and wildlife Range and 2 nests inside Mahakalapada forest and wildlife range.
The female crocodiles lay eggs inside the mangrove forest near the water bodies of the park areas and guard the eggs till the hatchlings emerge from the eggs.
The crocodile lay eggs by creating a mountain- like structure of a nest with mangrove leaves.The hatchlings emerge from the nest after a gap of about 60 to 70 days.
The Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division imposed a three months ban from last May 1 to July31 , for tourists to count the crocodile nests in the water bodies of Bhitarkanika National Park and nearby rivers,the DFO said.
This time the forest personnel have collected 42 eggs from a wild nest of crocodile at Thanapati Creek .The collected eggs were were incubated in captivity under semi-natural conditions to hatch it artificially at the Crocodile Breeding and Research centre in Dangamal within Bhitarkanika National park.
The hatchlings reared for three years and then released into the wild. (UNI)