Kendrapara: The Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara of Odisha will remain closed for tourists/visitors for 10 days in January 2022 for the census of crocodiles in waterbodies inside and outside the wildlife sanctuary.
Reportedly, the national park will remain closed from January 2 to 11 during the census informed Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jagyandatta Pati.
The entry of foreign and local tourists into the campus will be prohibited during the period. The wildlife sanctuary will open for tourists from January 12, 2022.
The forest department officials further revealed that the basic objective behind the closure of the national park is to avoid human interference during the time when the careful operation will be carried out.
Bhitarkanika National Park is the home to endangered salt water crocodiles. As per crocodile census-2021, there are 1,768 salt water crocodiles in the wildlife habitat, which is the second largest mangrove ecosystems of India.
It is to be noted that the Dolphin census took place at Bhitarkanika National Park from December 16 till December 18.
According to a decision by the state government’s Department of Forests and Environment, the dolphins counting takes place every year in the Bhitarkanika area since 2015.
Kalinga AI