Author:
Publications: The Navhind Times,
Panaji, Goa
Dated: August 28, 2001
BHUBANESWAR, Aug 27 (IANS): The
estuarine crocodiles of the world famous Bhitarkanika sanctuary on the
Orissa coast are slowly dying out.
Illegal fishing by a swelling number
of illegal immigrants, allegedly from Bangladesh, may cause extinction
of the reptiles in the sanctuary, wildlife experts and forest officials
said.
"The migrants have been destroying
the habitat of birds and Olive Ridley turtles to clear the mangrove forest
land in the heart of the park to settle there. Now their illegal fishing
has threatened the survival of all its 1,200 estuarine or Boula crocodiles,"
Orissa Wild Life Society secretary, Mr. Biswajit Mohanty said.
After years of crocodile conservation,
their wild population had registered an appreciable increase. The sanctuary
holds the .unique distinction of having the largest salt-water crocodile
population in India.
Surviving has, however, now become
difficult for these reptiles.
The population is squeezed into
a very small compact patch of hardly 30 sq km, Mr. Mohanty told IANS. Surveys
by the wild-life department, indicate that more than 75 per cent of the
crocodiles are concentrated in 25 per cent of the sanctuary's area mostly
at Dangmal, Saguna Chara and Mahisamada creek.
Crocodiles eat mostly fish and crab.
The young ones depend on the prawns and small crabs whereas the adults
eat fish. Indiscriminate fishingn has, however, robbed them of their diet.
Fishing nets in habitats like Baunsagalda
river, Baguli creek and Pathasala river also impede the free movement of
the reptiles.
Many of these fish species like
khainga, tuadi, hilsa, jalanga and bhekti emigrate from the sea during
there breeding season. The migration paths are, however, blocked by fishing
nets throughout the season and this prevents fish migration, Mr. Mohanty
said.
Eels that form a major diet of young
crocodiles are prevented from migrating inland and they are caught and
converted into chicken feed.
"This deprivation of natural food
has led to the crocodiles starving. This has ominous signals for the long-term
survival and viability of the species," Mr. Mohanty said.
Most of the good mangrove habitats
in and around Bhitarkanika are being converted into prawn farms and the
crocodiles are rapidly losing more living area.
Confinement of the entire population
to a small patch is likely to lead to genetic inbreeding. Epidemics or
disease may wipe out the entire population, which is now dangerously concentrated
in a small area.
