A critically endangered baby gharial crocodile species was caught in a fishing net in Birupa rivulet near Chotti village of Cuttack district.
A fisherman, after finding the reptile stuck in the net, informed the forest officials who later took possession of the animal. After veterinary care, it will be released in the natural habitat at Tikarpada in Angul district, said a forest official.
The fishermen got panicky after finding the catch. However, they did not cause any harm to the distressed aquatic animal, the forest officials adding that the fisherman who handed over the baby gharial will be awarded.
On 29 August, another baby gharial was caught in the net of a fisherman in Paika river in the district.
Earlier the Bhiatrakanika national park authorities had claimed that Kendrapara is the only district in India where three species of crocodiles- salt-water, gharial and mugger- are found inhabiting its river systems.
Incidentally, Odisha is the only state in the country having all three species — gharial, mugger and saltwater crocodile in the wild. The State government had launched a conservation programme of these crocodile species in 1975. While the conservation initiative had yielded positive results as far as saltwater and mugger is concerned, it had failed in the Gharial conservation programme.