A giant saltwater crocodile was spotted in a canal in a village in close proximity of Bhitarkanika national park on Monday morning with the reptile later captured by forest officials and safely released into its natural habitat.
The 16-foot-long male crocodile was netted from the canal at Jarimula village after a four-hour operation involving six forest personnel. It was subsequently released into the Patasala River within the Bhitarkanika National Park, Rajnagar Forest Range Officer Chittaranjan Beura said.
“The crocodile neither attacked anyone nor sustained any injury during the rescue operation. It is suspected to have entered the canal from a nearby river during high tide,” Beura said.
The sighting drew large crowds, with curious villagers gathering to watch the rescue operation. Some even clicked photographs beside the captured reptile before it was taken away by forest officials.
Forest authorities said crocodiles frequently stray into village ponds, creeks and canals from nearby rivers. Residents have been advised to exercise caution while using water bodies. Barricades have been installed at several river and pond ghats around Bhitarkanika to reduce the risk of crocodile attacks.
Recognized as the biggest salt-water crocodile conservation success story in the country, Bhitarkanika is currently home to 1858.
However, local residents are of the firm view that the rising number of salt-water crocodiles could be one of the reasons for the increase in straying incidents in the villages around Bhitarkanika.