Tourist entry banned at Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park for a week; here’s why

The Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, which has always been a favourite among wildlife enthusiasts and tourists alike for its diverse flora and fauna, will be off limits for tourists for a while.

The week-long ban on tourist entries has been imposed on this national park because of the annual census of estuarine crocodiles which is scheduled to take place here during this period.
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The ban has been imposed by the forest department from January 3, 2018 as a precautionary measure against noise pollution which might act as a hindrance while the headcount of the reptiles are carried out.

Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) division, B.P. Acharya, said, “There will be a prohibition on the entry of visitors to the national park area during this period to ensure smooth and disturbance-free headcount operation of saltwater crocodiles”.

The forest department officials further revealed that the basic objective behind the ban imposed on tourist entries at the Bhitarkanika National Park is to avoid any sort of human interference at a time when the meticulous operation is being carried out. Although the winters are ideal for tourist visits, but then the headcount needs to take place now as the season is also suitable for the operation.

When the headcount operation is complete, the 145 sq km national park would open its gates to travellers yet again. Apart from being a haven for wildlife enthusiasts, the forest, located in the delta of rivers Brahmani, Baitarani and Dhamara, is also popular among regular tourists who like to treat it as an ideal spot for trekking, picnic and even camping.