KENDRAPARA: Forest officials on Saturday night rescued a giant saltwater crocodile that had strayed into a shrimp farm at Khunta village in Rajkanika block in the impact of cyclone Dana.
The reptile, 14.2 feet long and weighing around four quintal, had intruded the shrimp farm belonging to one Sukant Biswal of Khunta village from Khola river on Friday. On being informed, forest officials reached the village and began the rescue operation.
Assistant Chief Conservator of Forest (ACF), Bhitarkanika Manas Dash said around 10 forest personnel took a gruelling seven hours to net the giant crocodile from the shrimp farm.
“Later we released it in the nearby Khola river within the Bhitarkanika National Park. The reptile had not attacked humans nor was it injured during the rescue operation,” he added.
While villagers were struck by panic, many posed with the captured reptile before it was taken away by forest officials.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw it. The crocodile was big enough to swallow a human being in one go,” said Rabindranath Das of Khunta village.
“Crocodiles often enter the village ponds from nearby rivers. Hence, we have built many barricades in the rivers and ponds to prevent these reptiles from attacking humans, and ask villagers to use the water bodies within the barricaded areas,” the forest officer said.