DAILY INDIA (New Delhi) 05 April 06 Orissa's albino crocodile gets more space
Kendrapada (Orissa)(IANS): Gori, the country's only captive albino crocodile, now has a more spacious pond in its Orissa home to swim around in.
Forest officials in the Bhitarkanika sanctuary in Kendrapada district have widened the pond where the nine-foot-six-inch reptile used to stay.
The albino crocodile was christened Gori, which means fair in Hindi, after its birth in 1975.
The full-grown reptile has been facing problems for the past 10 years due to inadequate space in its pond. The water level was low and it was not getting sufficient fish and crabs to eat, senior district forest official A. Patra told IANS.
The water flow to the pond from nearby Patasala river had stopped due to silting.
'We have not only renovated her pond but also dug the water channels that were connected with the pond,' he said.
'We have renovated two other nearby ponds that house two male crocodiles'.
The forest officials have also installed sluice gates with iron grills at the pond to allow inflow of river water. The gates would ensure the reptiles did not escape into the river, Patra said.
According to the official, Gori had developed a 'freak' behaviour because it did not get a mate. Though there are a large number of crocodiles in the state they are either bigger or smaller than Gori, he said.
The state government searched for a suitable partner outside the state but did not find any. A couple of years ago Gori's health had begun to fail after it refused to take food.
'Gori has now changed its behaviour. Its health condition has slightly improved.'
Last year, wildlife officials wanted to release it into the wild but decided against it after it stopped taking food.
The sanctuary officials have dug and renovated about 55 water holes and ditches inside the sanctuary where other thirsty animals can find water in the scorching summer.
Orissa's albino crocodile gets more space