Bhubaneswar: A 6-foot-long female crocodile was rescued from a pond in Endulapur village under Rajnagar forest division in Kendrapara district on Saturday. The reptile was spotted floating in the pond after floodwaters breached nearby habitats. A local resident discovered the crocodile and alerted the forest department.
A five-member team led by forest guard Bijay Patra from the Rajnagar Forest Division rushed to the scene and successfully rescued the crocodile using fishing nets. The operation was conducted without harming the animal or residents. The crocodile was later released into a creek connected to Bhitarakanika National Park, its natural habitat.
The forest department believes the crocodile strayed into the pond from the Hansua or adjacent tidal creeks linked to the Bhitarakanika sanctuary due to the surge in river water levels caused by heavy rains.
