KENDRAPARA: Forest officials rescued a six-foot-long saltwater crocodile after it became entangled in a fishing net at Brahmanikola village near Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district on Saturday.
According to forest officials, a farmer, Bhagabar Swain, had placed a traditional fishing net, locally known as a ‘Lanja’, on his agricultural land on Friday afternoon to catch fish. On Saturday morning, he found a crocodile accidentally trapped in the net. The reptile was lying motionless, prompting Swain to inform the forest officials.
A team of forest personnel rushed to the spot and rescued the crocodile by carefully cutting and removing the fishing net from its body. The reptile did not attack anyone and was not injured during the rescue operation, said Bhitarkanika assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Gagan Bihari Mallick. The crocodile was later released into the nearby Patasala river.
“It is not unusual to find crocodiles in riverside agricultural lands as the water bodies of Bhitarkanika are home to around 1,800 estuarine crocodiles,” Mallick said.
Forest officials said crocodiles often enter village ponds, creeks, canals and agricultural lands from nearby rivers. They have advised villagers to exercise caution while using water bodies and erected barricades at several river and pond ghats around Bhitarkanika to reduce the risk of crocodile attacks.