KENDRAPARA: A white saltwater crocodile was sighted in the hatchery and rearing complex at Dangmal in Bhitarkanika National Park, the country’s lone habitation for albino estuarine crocodiles.
This sighting was made by Sudhakar Kar, noted crocodile and wildlife researcher who is at the park to conduct the annual crocodile census.
Dangmal is now home to three albino crocodiles, with the earlier two born in 1975 and 2005 - named Gori and Mali, respectively. The latest sighted crocodile has been named ‘Sweta’.
“Gori will not be released into the wild as she has lost one eye in a fight with another male crocodile few years back,” added Kar.
Out of a total of 1,768 crocodiles according to the census last year, 15 albino or white crocodiles were spotted in various water bodies in the sanctuary.
Bhitarkanika is said to house 70 per cent of India’s estuarine or salt water crocodiles, conservation of which started over four decades ago in 1975.
“During the last four decades, maximum emphasis has been laid on the collection of eggs laid in the wild for safe project hatchery incubation by simulating the natural conditions, rearing the young ones under sound husbandry conditions and release of the crocodiles into the water bodies,” added Kar.
The count reaching 1,768 at present projects the success of the programme besides stressing the need for the protection of the mangrove and its ecosystem to facilitate the survival of the crocodiles.
“Sweta was born three years back in the hatchery from eggs collected from the wild and her whitish colour came to the fore during the census work,” said JD Pati, DFO of the park.