Odisha’s Bhitarkanika Equals Last Year’s Record In Estuarine Crocodile Nesting Sites

Kendrapara: The Bhitarkanika National Park has again emerged as the largest habitat of the endangered estuarine crocodiles in the country with 103 nesting sites spotted in it this year.

The national park had also registered 103 nesting sites of the estuarine crocodiles last year. As per the latest census, the number of saltwater crocodiles, the species which are not found in any other river system in the state, stood at 1,757 in Bhitarkanika.

According to an official of the Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bhitarkanika, a Ramsar site, is said to house 70 percent of the country’s saltwater crocodiles. The national park remains closed from May 31 to July 31 every year to ensure disturbance-free nesting of the crocodiles.

Though the estuarine crocodiles are also found in Sunderban of West Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, their density is more in Bhitarkanika, the official said.