KalingaTV News Network
Kendrapara: The Bhitarkanika National Park on Tuesday reopened for the tourists after remaining closed for three months in view of the breeding season of estuarine crocodiles.
“In view of the crocodiles’ breeding, a three-month-long prohibition on the entry of tourists and visitors to the wetland sites had been enforced from May 1 to July 31,” said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.
The DFO said a record number of salt water crocodiles nested during the season this year in Bhitarkanika. As many as 101 nests of crocodiles were counted during this year’s nesting season against 79 nests counted last year, he added.
The tourists interested in visiting Bhitarkanika can log on to www.ecotourodisha.com and ensure their bookings, the DFO informed saying tourists from across India and abroad can stay at the Forest department’s rest houses in Dangamala, Agaranasi Habalikothi, Gupti and Eakakula.
The park authorities has made extra arrangements for the tourists this year by operationalising eight cottages at Dangamal for night halt inside the park, claimed the officer
An area of 145 sqkm of the Bhitarkanika Wild Sanctuary, located in Kendrapara district of Odisha, has been designated as a National Park since 16th Sep 1998. With its vast expanse of mangrove cover and wetland spots, the park is an ideal eco-tourism destination for camping and trekking.
Ms Kalinga