46 Crocodile nests sighted in Bhitarkanika

Kendrapada, Jun 15 (UNI) As many as 46 nests of Estuarine crocodile were sighted by the forest officials in the creeks, nullahs, rivulets and other water bodies of Bhitarkanika.

Each of the nests, the officials claimed, contained about 50-60 eggs of the reptile.

The wildlife department had already imposed a ban on the entry of the tourists and visitors to Bhitarkanika from May 15 to July 31 to protect the breeding and nesting process of the crocodile.

Forest officials said the number of nests might further increase as counting process of the estuarine nests was still on.

During the last census, conducted in January, 2006, as many as 1454 Salt Water (Estuarine) crocodiles were sighted by the forest personnel in the water bodies of Bhitarkanika National Park.

This time also the forest official had sighted three albino in the water bodies of Bhitarkanika. Out of the three albino the forest officials had released a three-year-old albino in the Mahanadi river mouth under the Mahakalpada forest range.

Five giant crocodiles, having more than 20-ft-long, including the giant 23-ft-long salt water crocodile, which had been recently enlisted in the Guinness Book of World record as the biggest salt water crocodile in the world, were also spotted by the forest officials.

UNI