Bhubaneswar, July 16: The Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, sees a stunted growth of Estuarine crocodile this year.
The state’s only national park that’s conducive for breeding of the mixed species of the reptile, has so far recorded only 2 more nesting places as compared to the last year's count.
According to the wildlife official sources, as many as 116 nesting sites of the Estuarine (Salt-sweet-water) crocodiles were spotted by wildlife staff in marshy wetland sites of the Bhitarkanika National Park.
According to the previous year’s database, at least 114 nesting spots were recorded in 2024.
Manas Das, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Bhitarkanika National Park said, at leat 6,380 eggs are expected in toto from the nesting points, discovered so far and so a good number of hatchlings.
It will significantly add to Odisha’s estuarine crocodile population that’s 1,826 as per the latest census, the ACF added.
