Bhubaneswar: Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district is set to close its doors to tourists from January 14 to 22, 2025, to facilitate the annual saltwater crocodile census.
This massive undertaking will involve 22 teams and around 100 personnel, including forest officials, wildlife researchers, and trained locals.
To ensure the census is conducted seamlessly, soundless boats will be used to minimize disturbances, and tourist activities will be temporarily restricted during the period. The survey will cover the park’s intricate network of rivers, creeks, and water inlets, with operations carried out both during the day and night to maximize coverage.
The timing of the census has been carefully chosen to coincide with peak winter conditions, exposed mud banks, and a favourable lunar cycle, providing ideal conditions for sighting crocodiles. In the last census conducted in January 2024, a total of 1,811 saltwater crocodiles were recorded in Bhitarkanika.
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