THE STATESMAN (India) 02 June 06 It’s nesting season for crocodiles
Bhubaneswar (IANS): The Bhitarkanika National Park is playing host to some special guests these days ~ giant saltwater crocodiles that have come to the sanctuary for their annual nesting.
Lying alongside the Bay of Bengal, the park is located in Baleshwar district, about 140 km from here. It is home to the largest population of giant saltwater crocodiles, according to officials. Officials had spotted at least 53 nesting sites and about 50-60 eggs at each of these sites, said Mr B Das, a forest department official.
“The mating of crocodiles takes place on the surface of the water between February and April. They build their nests in May in the forest areas near the rivers and creek and start nesting in June,” Mr Das told IANS.
The nests are usually prepared using twigs, leaves and mud and are built on high ground so that they will not be inundated during the rainy season and where they will get direct sunlight, the official said. A female crocodile lays 25-45 eggs that start hatching after 70-80 days.
The crocodiles cover the eggs with leaves to keep them dry during the rainy season and the female guards them from prowling predators.
Mr Das said the forest department was keeping a watch on the eggs. He said they would collect some eggs from the nesting sites and these would be hatched at the Dangamal crocodile breading and rearing center within the park.
The hatchlings would be released into the wild, he added.
The Bhitarkanika forest department has imposed a four-month ban, from 1 April to 31 July, on tourists visiting the park so as not to disturb the estuarine crocodiles during their nesting and breeding season.
During the mating and nesting periods the reptiles become more violent and are liable to attack humans.
Mr Das said 25 forest guards had been deployed at the nesting sites to prevent any visitors from entering the forest areas.
Bhitarkanika is spread over an area of 670 sq km. As per this year’s reptile census report, 1,449 estuarine crocodiles were found in the wildlife sanctuary. Known as the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India, Bhitarkanika also houses some 215 species of birds and animals, including eight varieties of kingfishers. The Gahirmatha beach in Bhitarkanika is one of the largest breeding grounds for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
It’s nesting season for crocodiles