Farming activities in several river-side villages in Kendrapara district have been hindered by salt-water crocodiles sneaking into farmlands. Many farmers have missed transplantation work in many villages of Rajnagar and Rajkanika blocks. Crocodiles were spotted in soggy agriculture areas, according to a villager.
“We have spotted a giant crocodile measuring above 14 feet in the crop field. It has strayed to eat up fish and other aquatic animals in the water-logged fields. It is showing no signs of heading towards the Baitarani river habitat. We are in a quandary as the animal poses danger to life,” said Braja Kishore Sahu, a farmer from Jayanagar village.
Villages are being attacked by crocodiles. Crocodiles infest all of the water bodies in this area. Taking a bath in a river is like taking a risk with one’s life. People are being killed on a regular basis. According to Pradeep Kumar Das, a resident of Rajnagar Tehsil’s Iswarpur village, the crocodiles are making people remain inside houses.
Crocodiles have been reported straying into agricultural fields. Such acts of straying are reported during the monsoon season. Farmers have been advised to stay cautious.
According to a forest official, forest department officials have rushed to the locations to force the animals back to their natural habitats. The forest department has taken a number of steps to protect humans and domesticated animals from crocodiles.
Because of regular sightings of reptiles in certain areas, some fifty riverside locales have been declared as danger zones.
Odisha is the only state in the country where three types of crocodiles live in river systems: saltwater, gharial, and mugger. The population of salt-water crocodiles in Bhitarkanika has risen dramatically from 96 in 1975 to 1768 today.
The state forest department’s conservation programs in Bhitarkanika have resulted in a steady increase in the number of these reptiles over time. According to crocodile specialists, Bhitarkanika is home to 70% of India’s estuary crocodiles or saltwater crocodiles. With conservation efforts starting in 1975.
