Kendrapada: The carcass of a seven-feet-long female saltwater crocodile, aged around 10, was found in Hansua river near Gopalpur village within Bhitarkanika National Park on Monday.The carcass was found floating in the river. It was spotted by some locals who then informed the forest authorities. “After getting the information, a team of forest officials retrieved the carcass,” forest range officer of Bhitarkanika, Chittaranjan Beura, said.“Once we get the autopsy report, we will know the exact reason behind its death,” Beura added.“The unnatural death of an adult crocodile in Bhitarkanika and its nearby areas is alarming. Saltwater crocodiles are covered under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,” Sudhakar Kar, herpetologist and former wildlife researcher with the state forest and wildlife department, said.Fishing is banned in the water bodies of the park but some fishermen do it illegally in the rivers and creeks. Illegal fishing is leading to the death of crocodiles in Bhitarkanika as the reptiles die from entanglement in fishing nets, leading to asphyxiation or drowning when they cannot surface.On April 15, the carcass of an 11-feet-long male saltwater crocodile was found in Hansua river near Sanaora village within the park. A six-feet-long female saltwater crocodile was found on Oct 7 last year in Markatapur canal. On May 13 last year, the carcass of a four-feet-long male saltwater crocodile was found in Kochia river near Silapokhari village within the park.“Bhitarkanika, a vast tract of forest and saltwater swamp, is the home to 1,858 saltwater crocodiles as per the reptile census report of Jan 2026,” Hemant Rout, an environmentalist and secretary of Gahirmatha Marine Turtles and Mangrove Conservation Society, Kendrapada, said.
The carcass of the seven-feet-long female saltwater crocodile, aged around 10
