The Rajnagar Mangrove (Wildlife) Forest Division will impose a two-and-a-half month ban from May 15 to July 31 on tourists and other visitors to the Bhitarkanika National Park as the estuarine crocodiles might get disturbed in the process of their nesting and breeding times by the intrusion of visitors.
Rajnagar DFO Manoj Kumar Mohapatra said tourists’ movement would be restricted in the crocodile-infested areas at Bhitarkanika, Dangamal and Ragadapati forest blocks.
The female reptiles lay eggs in the mangrove forest near the water bodies of the park areas and guard the eggs till emergence of the hatchlings from the eggs.