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Over 500 crocodile hatchlings have so far broken out of the eggshells to make their way into water-bodies and water-inlets of Bhitarkanika national park.
The rare natural phenomenon which is still in progress was watched by few ground-level forest staff. Forest personnel maintained safe distance from the nests as human interference turns the reptiles violent and aggressive.
Fifty six crocodile nests were sighted in the wild this year by enumerators. Emergence of fledgling crocodiles sans mothers was a visual treat, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Division, Manoj Kumar Mahapatra.
Female crocodiles lay 50 to 60 eggs and the hatchlings usually emerge from the nests after 70 to 80 days of incubation period.
The annual captive breeding of crocodiles' eggs was suspended this year as the enclosure where 'rear and release' programme of these endangered species, takes place is being repaired. The eggs collected from the wild are hatched here artificially, said DFO Mahapatra.
Rear and release of these hatched reptiles has been going on since 1975, funded by United National Development Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The conservation project in Bhitarkanika tasted success while a similar UNDP-funded 'gharial croc' conservation project launched simultaneously in Tikarpada Sanctuary was a failure.
Forest officials said due care was taken by wildlife staff to prevent crocodiles' eggs from being devoured by predators like snakes, jackals and dogs, found in the reserve.
Adequate conservation measures by the state forest department have led to a systematic rise in the number of these reptiles over the years, claimed officials. The number of salt water crocodiles, not found in any other river system in Odisha, stood at 1649 as per latest census in Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary. .
