Kendrapara, Mar 7: A 7-feet-long estuarine crocodile in the Bagapatia village under Mahakalpada police station jurisdiction here had been allegedly hacked to death by villagers. The carcass of the dead reptile that had multiple injuries was caught in a fishing net by the forest officials near a water body on Monday. It’s stated that the crocodile had entered into human habitat and killed cattle. Thus angered over it, the villagers took the drastic step. A case under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has been registered. The reptile’s body has been sent for post-mortem. It is evident by the injuries that the reptile had fallen prey to man-animal conflict. All this was informed by the Mahakalpada Forest Range Officer, Bijoy Kumar Parida.
Since the last 18 months, seven adult and sub-adult salt-water crocodiles have died after trespassing in human habitations, forest officials said. He added that these crocodiles are itinerant in nature and stray into adjoining water-bodies because of its increase in hyper-salinity contents. After a temporary sojourn, they leave for their permanent habitation within the Bhitarkanika habitation corridors.
