A new white crocodile was added to the saltwater albino species like ‘Gori’ in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary in Kendrapada district with the birth of an albino crocodile hatchling.
This is for a third time the rare reptile was born in Odisha.
The albino crocodile was among 32 hatchlings that came out of eggs in a scientific process in August. After the hatchlings grew, the white crocodile was spotted out of them.
A crocodile nest at Ganjeikhia in Bhitarkanika was destroyed due to sea tide during the crocodiles’ breeding season this year. The forest department had collected 58 eggs from the nest and kept those at the Dangmal Crocodile Research & Conservation Centre.
Initially, the colours of the reptiles could not be identified. As they grew up, the officials found one albino crocodile hatchling swimming in the water.
Earlier, a female albino crocodile hatchling ‘Gori’ was born first time at the Dangamal Crocodile Research & Conservation Centre on April 22, 1975. It was the first albino crocodile in India. Even, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was curious to see the white crocodile, which was brought to Bhubaneswar in a special arrangement for him.
However, Gori could not be blessed with babies even at age of 42. later, the Forest Department got two white crocodile hatchlings in 2003. While one was kept in a confined pond, another lived in a river in Bhitarkanika.