KENDRAPARA: The population of saltwater crocodiles in Bhitarkanika National Park and its nearby areas has registered a marginal rise this year with the annual reptile census putting the head count at 1698. Last year, as many as 1682 saltwater crocodiles were sighted in the park. Moreover, Forest officials have also sighted 12 albino crocodiles during the enumeration.
“During the seven-day long crocodile census from January 3 to 10, we sighted 610 hatchlings, 338 yearlings, 267 juveniles, 172 sub-adults and 311 adult reptiles,” informed Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Bhitarkanika National Park Bimal Prasanna Acharya on Wednesday. Last year, the Forest officials had found 608 hatchlings, 334 yearlings, 266 juveniles, 172 sub-adults and 302 adults reptiles while in 2016, the count was 597 hatchlings, 342 yearlings, 269 juveniles, 164 sub-adults and 299 adult crocodiles, Acharya said.
Apart from Gori, the 43-year-old albino crocodile which resides in a pen in Bhitarkanika, the Forest officials have also sighted around 12 such albino reptiles of which seven are more than 18 feet in length. Three giant crocodiles, which are more than 20 feet long, have also been sighted in the water bodies of the park, said Dr Sudhakar Kar, a former crocodile research officer of Forest and Wildlife department of the State who led the 20-member team for the census.
Dr Kar said in 1975, the Ministry of Forest and Environment in collaboration with UNDP had started a crocodile breeding and rearing project in Dangamala within the Bhitarkanika park. Due to the success of the project, crocodile population started increasing in the creeks, river and other water bodies in the park and its nearby areas, he said.
Breeding and rearing programme of three species - saltwater crocodiles, Mugger and Gharial - was started at 34 places in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and some other States of the country. But the saltwater crocodile conservation plan in Bhitarkanika is the most successful one, Dr Kar added.
Ghodahada mugger population drops
Berhampur: A fall in the number of muggers in Ghodahada Irrigation Reservoir, about 45 kms from Berhampur, has caused concern among wildlife lovers. Though the crocodile population had gone up from 49 in 2016 to 55 in 2017, the number was found to have dropped to 45 this year after the annual census. Berhampur DFO Asish Kumar Behera said, the census of the reptiles was conducted over a five km area of the reservoir and the seven nearby ponds. For the enumeration, the reservoir was divided into 10 segments. The census was conducted by direct sight method between 6 am and 4 pm, he said and added that 28 crocodiles were sighted at the dam while the rest 17 were found in the ponds.
Though the Forest officials did not cite any reason for the drop in numbers of muggers, locals alleged that after unseasonal rains, some traders of Andhra Pradesh from the other side of the dam netted a few crocodiles and took those away. Ghodahada reservoir is seen as a major potential habitat for muggers in the State. The census aimed at improving the habitat by involving local fishermen in the exercise. Since the reptiles are not aggressive, fishermen of the seven adjoining villages do not face any threat from muggers. Behera said the local fishermen catch around 150 kg fish from the reservoir on a regular basis without fear and even villagers protect and nourish the muggers.