1,654 crocodiles in Orissa park
January 16th, 2011 - 3:44 pm ICT by IANSBhubaneswar, Jan 16 (IANS) The estuarine crocodile population in Orissa’s Bhitarkanika National Park has gone up to 1,654 from last year’s 1,610, officials said Sunday.Disclosing the results of the annual estuarine or salt water crocodile census conducted in the park in Kendrapada district from Jan 4-11, divisional forest officer Manoj Mohapatra said the increase in the population is a healthy sign.
“The habitat has remained appropriate for them (crocodiles). The growth of the population is adequate,” Mohapatra told IANS.
He said the rise is due to various conservation measures initiated in the park.
The crodiles spotted during the latest census include 531 hatchlings, 377 yearlings, 304 juveniles 166 sub-adults, 276 adults including four giants crocodiles measuring more than 20 foot long”, he said.
The Bhitarkanika, over 170 km from here, is a hot spot of biodiversity. It is home to largest population of giant salt water crocodiles in the country. It is also home to more than 215 species of avifauna, including eight varieties of kingfishers.
The national park is India’s second largest viable mangrove eco-system that harbours more than 70 species of mangrove and its associates. Gahirmatha beach in Bhitarkanika is considered one of the largest rookeries for endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
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- Birds sighted at Orissa sanctuary drop to only 45,610 - Dec 27, 2010
- The crocs of Bhitarkanika: A problem of plenty? (With Image) - May 21, 2012
- over 10,000 migratory birds reach Orissa national park - Oct 27, 2011
- Crocodile population rises to 1,610 in Bhitarkanika - Jan 14, 2010
- Olive Ridleys may delay mass nesting at Odisha beach - Feb 03, 2012
- 50,000 endangered turtles nest in Odisha's Rushikulya beach - Mar 01, 2012
- Crocodiles ride ocean currents to cross large areas of open sea - Jun 08, 2010
- TATA tries to silence critics, takes Greenpeace to court - Jul 23, 2010
- Migratory birds are flying back home from Odisha - Feb 17, 2012
- Orissa sets up camps to protect nesting turtles - Oct 28, 2010
- As rare Olive Ridleys mate, Orissa mounts vigil - Dec 21, 2010
Tags: avifauna, bhubaneswar, conservation measures, crocodile, crocodiles, crodiles, estuarine crocodile, forest officer, hot spot, kingfishers, largest population, mangrove, olive ridley sea turtles, orissa, ridley sea turtles, rookeries, salt water crocodile, salt water crocodiles, sea turtles, yearlings