Bhitarkanika to remain shut from May 1 to July 31 for crocodile nesting

Kendrapada: Bhitarkanika National Park will remain shut for tourists from May 1 to July 31. It is the mating and nesting season of saltwater crocodiles and they might get disturbed by visitors, said Manas Kumar Das, assistant chief conservator, Bhitarkanika National Park.Das said the noise from mechanised boats can disrupt nesting activity, resulting in human-crocodile conflict. “The female reptiles lay eggs inside the mangrove forest near the water bodies and guard the eggs till the hatchlings emerge from the eggs,” he said.Forest guards have been directed to monitor crocodile movements. Many forest dwellers illegally enter the forest areas to collect honey and wood for which the reptiles get disturbed and attack. To prevent the entry of villagers, the forest department restricted their movement, added the forest officer.Bhitarkanika is India’s biggest salt-water crocodile conservation success story. From mere 97 crocodiles in 1974, the population has increased to 1,858, according to Jan 2025 census. “The forest department has shut down 50-year-old artificial hatching and rearing of crocodiles in Bhitarkanika on Feb 24, 2024 after the crocodile population reached saturation point in Bhitarkanika,” Das said.“The nests are usually made up of mangrove twigs, leaves, mud. Nests are built on high ground so that these are not inundated during high tide and get direct sunlight,” said Dr Sudhakar Kar, crocodile researcher and a former forest official.Kar said a female lays 50 to 60 eggs in a nest. Only one out of 500 eggs reaches adulthood. The female reptiles guard the eggs from predators likes jackals, wild dogs, fishing cats, vultures and wild boars. The crocodiles also cover the eggs with leaves to prevent the ingress of rainwater in the rainy season. Last year, 117 nesting sites were spotted across creeks, nullahs and river systems in Bhitarkanika.