A six-foot-long female saltwater crocodile that had strayed into a pond in a village near Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district was captured by Forest Department personnel after a two-hour-long operation.
The reptile had been roaming in Endalapur village for over two weeks, leaving residents in a state of panic. After being informed by the villagers, forest officials rescued it from the pond.
“The forest officials managed to capture and rope it. Later, it was released into the wild. The reptile did not cause any harm to either humans or domesticated animals,” said Chittaranjan Beura, the park’s Forest Range Officer.
Crocodiles often stray into village areas in search of food but usually return to their original habitat within a few days, guided by their instinct, the wildlife personnel said.
Lethal crocodile attacks and subsequent retaliatory responses by humans have become a recurring feature in this part of the state. Most incidents occur when people enter the animal’s habitat for activities such as illegal fishing, poaching, collecting firewood, or harvesting honey.
Conflicts and resulting human fatalities are most frequently reported during the monsoon and winter months, which coincide with the nesting season of estuarine crocodiles. In the recent past, the marauding reptiles killed three people near the national park.
The population of saltwater crocodiles in Bhitarkanika has increased manifold, from 96 in 1975 to 1,826 to date.