Bhubaneswar, June 11: Forest Department personnel inside Bhitarkanika National Park have discovered over 55 nests of saltwater crocodiles within the Kanika forest range during the ongoing nesting season.

Manas Kumar Das, ACF-cum-Range in-charge of the Kanika Forest Range, reported that the nests were sighted at Chintamani Mohanty Creek, Thanapati, Mangalpur, Saguna Chera Creek, Jalahar Creek, and Bhitarkanika Patia Creek within the national park.

Das explained that female crocodiles lay their eggs in the mangrove forests near the park's water bodies and guard them until the hatchlings emerge. The crocodiles construct mound-like nests using mangrove leaves. The hatchlings typically emerge from the nests after about 60 to 70 days.

Female crocodiles in Bhitarkanika National Park can grow up to 14 feet long and lay approximately 45 to 60 eggs. Larger females, over 14 feet in length, lay even more eggs. To facilitate the counting of crocodile nests, the Rajnagar Mangrove (Wildlife) Forest Division has imposed a three-month ban on entry from May 1 to July 31 into the crocodile-infested areas of Bhitarkanika National Park and nearby rivers. Tourist access to these areas has been restricted during this period.

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