Kendrapara: A 16-foot-long male saltwater crocodile was rescued from a canal near the Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district on Monday and later released into a river within the protected area, forest officials said.
The reptile was captured from a canal at Jarimula village following a four-hour rescue operation carried out by a six-member team of the Forest Department.
After being safely secured, the crocodile was released into the Patasala River inside the Bhitarkanika National Park, officials said.
The crocodile neither attacked any person nor sustained any injury during the rescue operation.
Forest officials suspect the reptile entered the canal from a nearby river during high tide, a phenomenon that frequently leads crocodiles to stray into village ponds, creeks and canals in the Bhitarkanika region.
Officials said estuarine crocodiles often move into adjoining water bodies during tidal fluctuations, occasionally bringing them into close proximity with human settlements.
Residents of villages around Bhitarkanika have been advised to exercise caution while using rivers, ponds and other water bodies. To reduce the risk of human-crocodile encounters, barricades have been installed at several ghats along rivers and ponds in the area, officials added.
Bhitarkanika is regarded as one of India’s most successful habitats for saltwater crocodile conservation. According to Forest Department records, the national park and its adjoining water bodies are currently home to 1,858 estuarine crocodiles.
