1,348 baby saltwater crocodiles have broken out of their eggshells to make their way to water-bodies in and around Odisha’s Bhitarkanika national park, marking the culmination of annual breeding and nesting season of these endangered reptiles.
The forest officials on Sunday released the result of the mangrove pitta bird census report, which pegged their population at 218.
The growth in population has been mainly reported in hatchlings. However, other size segments have also reported slight growth compared to last year, he said.
The mutilated body of the boy, half-eaten by saltwater crocodile, was later retrieved by locals after an hour-long search operation.
Mutilated body of the boy, half-eaten by saltwater crocodile, was retrieved by locals at Brahmani river ghat near Nimapur village under Pattamundai police station jurisdiction after an hour-long search.
The Bhitarkanika river systems are home to saltwater crocodiles. On the other hand, the Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers and their tributaries pass through the district are found inhabiting muggers and gharials.
The wildlife sanctuary had been kept out of bounds for tourists and visitors to ensure disturbance-free annual nesting of crocs. The animals turn violent and restive over human interference in their habitat.
Over a dozen types of local residential birds congregate at the heronries in and around the national park for nesting and breeding every year. The species are open bill stork, Little cormorant, Intermediary Egret, Large Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Night Heron, Darter, White Ibis, and Cattle Egret added the forest official.
The Court directs that each of the status reports filed by the four Collectors will enclose pen drives/Compact Discs. containing the video-graphs of all the demolition actions along with their respective status reports being filed by the next date.
As against 103 nests spotted last year, the number has dropped substantially this year.
