KENDRAPARA: A five-foot salt water crocodile, which had strayed into a pond at Bankuala village within Bhitarkanika National Park of Kendrapara district, was captured by the forest officials with the help of locals from the pond on Sunday.
The crocodile strayed from the river into the village pond during the high tide. The crocodile tried to attack some persons who were taking bath in the pond and they alerted the local forest officer. “We tied the reptile after netting it. Later, we released the crocodile in Patasala river. The crocodile did not attack humans. It was also not injured while being captured,” Bhitarkanika forest range officer Subrat Patra said.
“We advised the villagers to be careful while using river and pond water and erect barricades along the river and pond ghats. The forest officials built around 30 wooden barricades in the rivers and ponds around Bhitarkanika to prevent crocodiles from attacking anyone within the barricade areas,” added the forest officer.
“When I finally saw it after its capture, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was big enough to swallow a man,” said Ramesh Mandal of Bankuala village.
Many villagers have alleged that the population of crocodile has reached a saturation point in Bhitarkanika. But the forest officials have been releasing baby crocodiles into the water bodies from the crocodile breeding centre in Dangamal of Bhitarkanika.