KENDRAPARA: The carcass of a seven feet long saltwater crocodile was found in Baitarani river near Bhitarkanika National Park in the district on Thursday. The Forest officials retrieved the floating carcass from the river near Jayanagar village of Rajkanika block. “We suspect the reptile was trapped in a fishing net and subsequently, choked to death in the deep waters of the river.
The exact reason of the death will be ascertained after getting the autopsy report,” said Forest Range Officer of the park Subrat Patra. This is the 23rd unnatural death of a crocodile near Bhitarkanika National Park in the last six years. The recent death of the endangered saltwater crocodile has exposed the chinks in the armour of crocodile conservation programme in the park.
The rivers, creeks and other water bodies within Bhitarakanika is home to around 1,700 saltwater crocodiles. Fishing has been banned in the water bodies of the park. Patra said it is illegal to kill a crocodile as the reptile is covered under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and has been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In the rainy season, many crocodiles come out from their habitat and move to nearby rivers. “We have warned villagers and fishermen not to venture into the rivers during the rains,” he added.
However, illegal fishing continues unabated in the rivers which is taking a toll on the rare species of estuarine crocodiles, said environmentalist and president of Marine Turtles and Mangrove Conservation Society (MTMCS), Kendrapara, Hemant Rout. “As locals continue to fish illegally and often go scot-free, more crocodile carcasses entangled in fishing nets wash ashore,” Rout said. In 1975, the Forest and Environment Ministry, in collaboration with UNDP, had started a crocodile breeding and rearing project in Dangamala within Bhitarkanika National Park. The Forest officials counted 1,698 saltwater crocodiles in the water bodies of the park this year, Rout added.