Wildlife lovers are jubilant as
babies of estuarine crocodiles have emerged out of the eggshells in and around
the crocodile research farm in Bhitarkanika national park in Kendrapara
district.
Over 500 crocodile hatchlings have
so far broken out of the eggshells to make their way into waterbodies and
waterinlets of Bhitarkanika national park. The rare natural phenomenon which is
still in progress was watched by a few ground-level forest staff. Forest
personnel maintained safe distance from the nets as human interference turns
the reptiles violent and aggressive.
Fiftysix crocodile nests were
sighted in the wild this year by enumerators. Emergence of fledgling crocodiles
sans mothers was a visual treat, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar
Mangrove (wildlife) Division, Manoj Kumar Mahapatra.
Female crocodiles lay 50 to 60 eggs
and the hatchlings usually emerge from the nets after 70 to 80 days of
incubation period.
The annual captive breeding of
crocodiles’ eggs was suspended this year as the enclosure where ‘rear and
release’ programme of these endangered species, takes place is being repaired.
The eggs collected from the wild are hatched here artificially, said DFO
Mahapatra.
Rear and release of these hatched
reptiles has been going on since 1975, funded by United National Development
Programme and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The conservation project
in Bhitarkanika tasted success while a similar UNDP-funded ‘gharial croc’
conservation project launched simultaneously in Tikarpada Sanctuary was a
failure. Forest officials said due care was taken by wildlife staff to prevent
crocodiles’ eggs from being devoured by predators like snakes, jackals and
dogs, found in the reserve.
Adequate conservation measures by
the state forest department have led to a systematic rise in the number of
these reptiles over the years, claimed officials. The number of salt water
crocodiles, not found in any other river system in Odisha, stood at 1649 as per
latest census in Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary. PTI
This websites is great.Really helpful and informative.Thanks a lot for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteCrocodile Sanctuary in Bhitarakanika