Kendrapada: In preparation for the yearly census of saltwater crocodiles, Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapada district will enforce a nine-day restriction on tourist entry starting this Friday.
A dedicated team of 22 enumerators, supported by trained local forest staff and herpetologists, including renowned crocodile researcher Sudhakar Kar, will cover the river system, creeks, water inlets, and nullahs during the census. Rivers and canals in Mahakalapada, Rajnagar, Gahirmatha, and Kania will be covered.
The Forest Department will utilize soundless boats and prohibit visitor access to prevent noise pollution that could disrupt the counting process.
The teams are likely to use GPS technology to map the exact locations of crocodiles, using digital cameras for photographic interpretation, including the date and time, to measure the length and age of the reptiles.
In 2023, a total of 1,793 crocodiles were recorded while in 2022 it was 1,784.