Saltwater crocodile count up in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika

Bhubaneswar: The saltwater crocodile population at Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and its nearby areas in Odisha’s Kendrapara district has gone up marginally this year.

As many as 1,811 estuarine crocodiles were found at Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and its nearby areas during a three-day census that concluded yesterday (January 12).

The Forest department officials had spotted a total of 1,793 crocodiles at the wildlife sanctuary during a census last year.

The enumerators sighted at least 582 hatchlings (below 2 feet), 387 yearlings (2-3 feet), 327 juveniles (3-6 feet), 167 sub-adults (6-8 feet) and 348 adult crocodiles (Above 8 feet) at Bhitarkanika this year.

The officials of the Forest department had found 569 hatchlings, 388 yearlings, 325 juveniles, 166 sub-adults and 345 adults at the wildlife sanctuary during last year’s census.

The Forest department had formed as many as 22 tears comprising forest guards, locals and environmentalists for the three-day census that began on January 10.