Crocodile carcass found in Odisha's Bhitarkanika National Park

Kendrapara (Odisha), Jun 28 (PTI) The carcass of an 11-foot-long female saltwater crocodile was found near the Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district, an official said on Tuesday.

Forest officials retrieved the bloated carcass from the Kani river near Baluria village on Monday.

"It has been sent to the veterinary hospital at Rajnagar for autopsy," Rajnagar Mangrove (Wildlife) divisional forest officer J D Pati said.

The rivers, creeks and other water bodies within Bhitarkanika are home to around 1,800 saltwater crocodiles.

Fishing is banned in the water bodies of Bhitarkanika. But some locals illegally fish in the river and it is taking a toll on the estuarine crocodiles, environmentalist Hemant Rout claimed.

Crocodiles also get killed due to human interference, Rout asserted. PTI COR HMB SBN NN NN