Kendrapara: Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district reopened for tourists on Sunday after remaining closed for ten days for the annual census of the estuarine crocodiles, a senior forest official said.
The national park receives around one lakh tourists every year, the official said.
"The restriction on the visitors was imposed to prevent noise pollution during the headcount exercise of the reptiles in Bhitarkanika," divisional forest officer of Rajnagar Mangrove (Wildlife), Bikash Ranjan Das said.
The national park was closed for the annual census of the estuarine crocodiles from December 26, 2019, to January 4, 2020.
"We are ready to host domestic and international tourists after a ten-day break," he said.
At least 1,757 salt-water crocodiles including albino species were counted this year along the water-bodies of Mahanadi deltaic region while the census figure, recorded last year, stood at 1,742, Das said.
Bhitarkanika National Park has reestablished itself as country's lone habitation corridor for albino estuarine crocodiles, according to the latest findings.
"There are large habitats for saltwater crocodiles in Sundarbans in West Bengal and large mangrove wetlands in the Andaman Islands, but those cannot match density and population of crocodile available in Bhitarkanika," crocodile researcher Dr Sudhakar Kar said.
The crocodile conservation programme was launched way back in 1975 and then, two white crocodiles had been counted in the Bhitarkanika water bodies, he said.
"Albino species were also earlier sighted in the past years. However, we are apprehensive of their mortality rate. As they have been re-sighted, the brackish water bodies of the national park have emerged as favourable habitation for white crocodiles," he said.
Das said visitors are required to submit identity- proof for entering the national park.
Boat journey along the mangrove-covered water bodies is a major attraction for tourists. On any given day, 350-400 tourists make the voyage on water bodies by boats and there would be no compromise on the safety aspect, forest officials said.
The private boats which are devoid of life jackets and other safety gadgets for tourists are barred from operating, they said.
The boats and vessels owned by the department are all armed with safety equipment, they added.
(PTI)