India, Jan. 8 -- The much-anticipated saltwater crocodile census got underway in Odisha's Bhitarkanika National Park, as forest officials began a three-day operation today to assess the reptile population across its river systems. The protected reserve will remain closed to tourists for three days from January 8 to January 10 to facilitate the process and as part of safety measure. A total of 24 teams have been deployed for the counting exercise, with each team comprising four to five members.

This year, the Forest Department had initially proposed using drone technology to replace the 50-year-old census method, reducing the duration of the exercise from ten days to three. However, the proposal was subsequently withdrawn, and the traditi...