Kendrapara, Aug. 12: Spot a trespasser crocodile and get rewarded.

Authorities of the Bhitarkanika National Park have launched a cash incentive scheme for local residents who can provide information on acts of trespass by crocodiles.

The measure comes in the wake of a rise in incidents of crocodile-man conflict in riverside villages.

Though crocodiles’ nesting season, when they are at their violent best, has ended, the department has turned focus on the safety of those living along the sanctuary.

The intention is to detect cases of crocodile intrusion at an early stage to prevent lethal attacks to humans and livestock.

The informer will get Rs 500 as incentive. On getting the information, action will be taken to drive away the crocodiles before they cause any damage, said divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Manoj Kumar Mahapatra.

Involvement of local residents will make it easier for forest officials to drive away the intruders using traditional methods.

The service of skilled fishermen, who are experts in chasing away the reptiles from places of human habitations, would be hired for the purpose.

The department has also undertaken measures to sensitise people living along the crocodile-infested rivers.

Instructions have been issued requesting them to remain alert and not to venture into water bodies.

As panchayati raj institutions hold the key to public sensitisation, the forest officials have held interactive sessions with them to curb the man-crocodile conflict. Leaflets and advisory notes have been distributed to the panchayat bodies for creating awareness on crocodiles.

As part of the plan to stop the conflict, the river bathing ghats in strategic places where crocodiles roam, have been fenced with bamboo-pole barriers to fend off possible crocodile attacks.

Over a dozen of bathing ghats have such barriers, an official said.

The species 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 corridors in Bhitarkanika, said a forest official.

This year, 1,649 estuarine crocodiles were enumerated living along Bhitarkanika’s water bodies.

Wildlife researchers studying salt-water crocodiles say the habitat of these species is getting squeezed in about 26sqkm of the water bodies in the national park.