Bhitarkanika/Header

Salt water crocodile project at Dangmal-Bhitarkanika National Park

In Orissa, the estuarine or Salt water crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is restricted to the mangrove swamps of the Brahmani - Baitarani Delta of North - Eastern portion of the State which comes within the Bhitarkanika National Park. Around mid nineteen seventies, the population of these salt water crocodiles had gone down to a critical level, leaving only a small viable population in the main Bhitarkanika river and few adjoining creeks. The

decline of population was mostly due to over exploitation, poaching and indiscriminate hunting. To save these greatly endangered species from extinction, a conservation programme was launched by the State Govt., through Forest Department.

This project was started with active assistance from the Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation's Development Programme. The major achievement of this project in its first phase has been to rear and rehabilitate the salt water crocodile.

Apart from rearing & releasing 1717 crocodiles in the nature, 26 captive reared crocodiles have been supplied to other State projects.

The programme for conservation of estuarine crocodile and its habitat was mooted in the year 1975 by Dr. H.R Bustard, the FAO/UNDP Consultant. The entire mangrove habitat was declared as Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary on 22.4.1975 to protect the Salt Water Crocodiles. The project started at Dangmal. Illegal trapping & killing of crocodile was stopped. Every step was taken to protect the adult, sub-adult and juveniles. The practice of collection of eggs from the Wild and their subsequent incubation technique was preferred to build up the depleted population. The reared crocodiles of 1.2 meter length were released into the creeks and creeklets.

Annual census of crocodiles is being undertaken in the mid winter. The population estimation is done by direct sighting in various creeks and rivers in both day and night. The night counting gives a better result of hatchlings & yearlings. Since identification is easy during night. The crocodiles are classified into different categories as per age gradation viz; upto 2'-4" - yearlings 4'-6" Juveniles, 6'-8" sub-adults and beyond 8' -0" adults. The presence of all age classes of crocodiles is a healthy sign of a viable population.

Crocodile Census

Year	Hatchling	Yearling	Juvenile	Sub-adult	Adult	Total
1995-96	304	71	34	21	10	511
1996-97	136	232	161	63	68	660
1997-98	252	106	121	113	76	668
1998-99	149	146	160	144	72	672
1999-2000	319	181	123	145	146	914
2000-2001 2001-2002	341 431	277 328	237 182	136 138	107 206	1098 1285

CROCODILIANS

ORDER : CROCODILIA
FAMILY : CROCODYLIDAE
GENUS : CROCODYLUS

Crocodylus Porosus (Schneider)
(The Estuarine or the saltwater crocodile)
(Baula Kumbhira)
Status : schedule - I as per Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Endangered as per Red Data Book categories of IUCN; Included in Appendix-I of CITES.
River systems of Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary and its fringe areas are the last stronghold of the species in Orissa. The estuarine or the salt water crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is known to be the largest (7 mt.) among all species of the living crocodiles in the world. It inbahits the deltaic regions of Bramhani, the Baitarani, Dhamra and Mahanadi river systems of the state and in the estuaries of these rivers where there is regular flow of tidal waters from the sea. These rivers and deltaic areas are the best preferred habitats of this species.

The saltwater crocodiles are carnivorous and scavengers. The species lives mainly on fish (predatory fish). It often feeds on carcasses flowing in to the area from nearby human habitations and occasionally feeds on cattle, deer, sambars, wild pigs etc. Female saltwater crocodiles nest in mangrove forests preparing a mound nest unlike othe rspecies of crocodiles which usually dig a nest on sandy river banks.

Mating takes place during February to April. Nests are made in May. An average of 45 eggs are laid. Hatchlings emerge from the eggs after 70-80 days. Mother Crocodile actively guards the nest by remaining in a wallow in the vicinity of the nest. The nest are usually prepared by the mangrove twigs, leaves, mud etc. Nests are usually made in areas on high ground which will not be inundated during the highest high tide of flood waters during the rainy season and where it can get direct sunlight.

Attack on human beings by Wild Crocodiles :
The saltwater crocodile is stated to be most dangerous species of crocodilians from a human stand point . In the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary all the ingredients for human attack exists. Particularly, frequent human intrusion into the crocodile habitat illegally and a crocodile population in the Sanctuary containing a good number of very large males. But it has been observed that the adult crocodiles under normal circumstances never leave their territory to chase the human beings on land unlike terrestrial predatory animals like tigers. Etc. Most of the incidents occur when the victims enter into the crocodile habitat either for illegal fishing,

poaching, collection of wood, honey. Nalia grass etc. from the river or creek banks or while setting the traps or noose for trapping the deer, wild boars etc. very close to river or creek banks.

Causulty of Human Being & Cattle by Crocodile In Bhitarkanika.

Year	No. of Human Being Killed	No. of Cattle Killed
1996-97	3	12
1997-98	2	4
1998-99	1	3
1999-2000	2	4
2000-2001	3	2
2001-2002	2	1
2002-2003	1	5

Attack on domestic live stock by Wild Crocodiles :

High tide is usually essential to bring the crocodiles waiting calmly in the water within striking distance of the animals grazing on the river bank. 90% of the attacks occur during the rainy season when the river banks are flooded by high tide or flood water. That too at locations where the natural mangroves vegetation cover had been destroyed by people. Cattle attacks increase the unpopularity of the salt water crocodiles and increase the pressures working against its conservation. The solution lies in maintaining a strip of undisturbed mangrove forests at least 100 meters wide along all rivers/creeks adjacent to cultivated land and human habitations inside the Sanctuary.