This year hatchlings came out from all the egg shells of estuarine crocodiles that were hatched artificially at the Dangamala-based Crocodile Breeding and Research Centre in Bhitarkanika, informed Kanika Ranger Akhaya Kumar Nayak.
The Bhitarkanika forest officials had collected 42 crocodile eggs from a wild nest that were lying vulnerable due to tidal erosion at Saguna Chera. The eggs were later kept at the artificial hatchery in Dangamal for incubating artificially. All the baby crocodiles came out from the 42 egg shells.
Every year some eggs are collected from the wild nests and the eggs are incubated in captivity under semi-natural conditions. The hatchlings are reared for three years and then released into the wild. By way of ‘rear and release’ technique, the baby crocodiles after birth are released in the wild as a part of conservation programme of these endangered species, added Nayak.