Bhubaneswar, Jan. 7 -- With crocodile annual headcount exercise of estuarine crocodiles getting underway, Bhitarkanika national park in Odisha's Kendrapara district would remain out of bounds for three days from Thursday for nature's lovers who long for savouring the warmth of congenial wetland spots.
The national park is being shut for nine days (January 8 to January 10) for the annual census of the estuarine crocodiles. 22 teams have been constituted to count the crocodiles in the creeks, nullahs, rivers, wetland sites and mangrove forest within the park and its nearby areas. Besides the forest officials, wildlife researchers and locals will shoulder the task of counting the crocodiles, Varadaraj Gaonkar, the Divisional Forest Officer (D...