Forest Department personnel of the Bhitarkanika National Park have sighted more than 60 nests of saltwater crocodiles at the creeks, nullahs and other water bodies of the park recently.
Rajnagar Mangroves and Wildlife Division DFO Kedar Kumar Swain said the number of the estuarine crocodile nests is likely to increase as the counting process is still on.
The number of nests has increased compared to last year’s 56, he informed.
Each nest contains 40 to 50 eggs. The female crocodiles, which grow up to 14 feet, give 40 to 50 eggs. If the length of a crocodile grows more than 14 feet, it lays more eggs.
About 10 per cent of the eggs are generally destroyed by predators. Finally, the hatchling rate is 30 per nest. Hatchlings usually emerge from the eggs after an incubation period of 45 to 60 days. The forest personnel would collect some eggs to hatch them artificially, informed Swain.
A prohibition order has been imposed on the tourists to Bhitarkanika till July 31 as during the nesting and breeding the visitors might disturb the tranquil environment of the crocodiles’ habitats. Once the reptiles are disturbed during this period, they turn more violent, for which a majority of crocodile attacks occur during the nesting season.
As many as 1,644 estuarine crocodiles inhabit in the Bhitarkanika National Park as per the last census report of January 2014. Due to adequate protection and congenial environment, the saltwater crocodiles’ population has been increasing in the park, stated forest official sources.