2500 Baby Estuarine Crocodiles Break Out Of Eggshells In Odisha’s Bhitarkanika

Kendrapada: Over 2,500 baby saltwater crocodiles have been born in Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapada district.

The baby estuarine crocodiles emerged from 122 nests recently to make their way to water bodies in and around the national park, marking the culmination of the annual breeding and nesting season of these reptiles.

“This year forest officials sighted 122  nests of the estuarine crocodiles.  A single female crocodile typically lays a clutch of between 30 and 40 eggs that incubate for 70 -75 days and around  50 per cent of hatchlings are born in each nest.  This time, around 20 hatchlings were born from a nest,” divisional forest officer (DFO) of Bhitarkanika National Park, Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav was quoted by TNIE as saying.

Out of 500 baby crocodiles, only one crocodile reaches adulthood,  noted herpetologist and former wildlife researcher of the forest department, Odisha Sudhakar Kar said.

The forest officials had imposed a three-month ban on entry to the national park during the nesting period of the reptiles from May 1 to July 31. The reptiles often turn violent and attack intruders during this period.

Tourists can visit the national park through the water route from Gupti, Khola and Chandbali, or enter the main gate from Dangamal. Cottages have been set up in Dangamal and Gupti for them.