Bhitarkanika Park to be closed for visitors for Croc breeding

With the onset of the breeding season of estuarine crocodiles, Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district will remain closed for visitors for three months from Wednesday, an official said.

Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya, said the prohibition is being imposed to ensure the safety of humans and provide a congenial environment to the breeding crocodiles.

The prohibition will be lifted on July 31. The prohibition on tourists and visitors has been clamped to ensure disturbance-free annual nesting of crocs.

The reptiles often turn violent and attack intruders during this period. "So the objective is to ensure the safety of humans and provide congenial environs to the breeding crocodiles," he said.

As per the census conducted in January this year, there are 1742 estuarine crocodiles in the water bodies of Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary.

In view the commencement of the breeding season of crocs, ...