Rajanagar: The Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district re-opened for visitors and tourists on Thursday after nine days.
The national park was closed for tourists for nine days from the January 14 to 22 for the annual crocodile census. Movement of boats in the rivers passing through the park was prohibited for the crocodile census as it would disturb the animals and obstruct the crocodile census process.
Meanwhile, the census report published on Wednesday said that the crocodile population in the Bhitarkanika National Park has seen a marginal increase this year. According to Rajnagar Divisional Forest Officer Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav, 1,826 crocodiles were recorded during this year’s census, compared to 1,811 counted last year.