Kendrapada: Bhitarkanika National Park, one of India’s most prominent wildlife sanctuaries, has shut its gates to tourists for three days as the annual saltwater crocodile census gets underway from Thursday.
Visitors will not be allowed entry into the park from January 8 to 10 while forest officials conduct the intensive survey. Urging tourists not to plan visits during the census period, The Forest Department informed the park will reopen to visitors after the completion of the yearly counting exercise.
The census is being carried out across rivers, creeks, and water bodies within the park overseen by the Rajnagar Forest Division. Teams of forest staff are navigating the waterways by boat using binoculars to identify and
count crocodiles. Officials explained that the exercise covers the entire ecosystem to ensure accurate data collection and a comprehensive understanding of the crocodile population.
Bhitarkanika is globally recognised as one of the largest natural habitats for saltwater crocodiles. Thousands of individuals have been recorded in past censuses, underscoring the park’s ecological importance. The data gathered during the survey not only tracks population trends but also helps shape conservation strategies and strengthens monitoring of the fragile mangrove ecosystem.
Forest staff is dedicating themselves to the task, often moving through remote and difficult-to-access waterways to document every sighting. “The census is vital for wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection,” officials emphasised, noting that the findings contribute to long-term management of the sanctuary.
The annual crocodile census at Bhitarkanika remains a cornerstone of Odisha’s conservation efforts, reaffirming the state’s commitment to protecting its unique wildlife and preserving one of the world’s most significant crocodile habitats.