KENDRAPARA: At least 24 nests of salt water crocodiles have been spotted near creeks, nullahs and river under Bhitarkanika National Park by the forest officials.
Forest Range Officer of Dangamala under the park Akshya Kumar Nayak said, “We have already spotted 24 nesting sites and about 50/60 eggs were sighted in each nesting site. The eggs will hatch by natural process within 75 days. Last year, we found 68 crocodile nests.”
Nayak said it is not possible to detect all the nesting sites of the reptiles as several crocodiles have nested in dense mangrove forest. The female reptiles guard the eggs from attacks by jackals, dogs, fishing cats, vultures, water monitors and wild boars. The crocodiles also cover the eggs with leaves to prevent the ingress of rain water, he added.
The authorities have clamped three-month prohibition on entry of tourists and visitors to the wetland sites of the park. The park would reopen on August 1. Human interference would disturb the breeding animals, he said.
The Forest department had stopped the crocodile breeding and rearing programme six years ago as the crocodile population increased from 96 in 1974 to 1,682 this year.
Out of 500 eggs of the crocodiles in the forest, only one turns adult. But in the crocodile breeding centre, all the collected eggs are hatched, the forest officer said.