Baby crocodiles break out of eggshells; mingle in wild in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika national park

Bhubaneswar, Aug 5 (UNI) More than 1,500 baby saltwater crocodiles have broken out of their eggshells to make their way to water bodies in and around Odisha’s Bhitarkanika national park,
thus re-establishing the region as the country’s largest habitat of these animals, officials said today.

Bhitarkanika, according to forest officials, houses around 70 per cent of India’s estuarine crocodile or saltwater crocodiles, conservation of which was started way back in 1975.

The salt-water crocodile population in Bhitarkanika has increased manifold from 96 in 1975 to 1826 so far.

The mortality rate of baby crocs is exceedingly high. Female crocodiles lay 50 to 60 eggs, and the hatchlings usually emerge from the nests after a 70 to 80-day incubation period.

However, hardly one out of every hundred baby crocs grows to become adults. In the wild, babies are devoured by predating aquatic animals, said crocodile researcher Sudhakar Kar.

This year 117 nesting sites of estuarine crocodiles were spotted in the national park.

The reptiles build nests by the mangrove twigs, leaves and mud on high ground that is free from watery inundation during the rainy season. Crocs build nests at a place where they can get direct sunlight, he said.

The sight of baby crocs breaking out of eggshells and their act of loitering aimlessly before hopping into the water bodies and creeks was a visual treat to watch.

The emergence of hatchlings has commenced for the past two days and would continue for a fortnight, said Manas Das, Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) of the national park.

The ground-level staff engaged in maintaining watch and vigil of the nests were privileged to watch the rare natural phenomenon. The fledgling crocs emerged from the shells sans mothers.

However the forest personnel maintained safe distance from the nests as human interference turns the reptiles violent and aggressive.

The wildlife sanctuary had been kept out of bounds for tourists and visitors from May 31 and was later lifted on July 31 to ensure disturbance-free annual nesting of crocs. The animals turn violent and restive over human interference in their habitat, said officials.

Estuarine crocodiles are also found in West Bengal’s Sundarbans, having the country’s largest mangrove cover.

Besides, the mangrove wetlands in Andaman Islands are home to these species. However, the density and population of crocodiles in the wild habitats of Bhitarkanika are much more pronounced.

Crocodiles are also an important part of the ecosystem and help keep the riverine ecology clean and guard the mangrove forest from tree cutters and poachers, as locals are scared to venture into the mangrove forest because of the presence of crocodiles in the swampy patches in the forest, concluded the official.