An estuarine crocodile. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, May 13: The croc-man conflict has reached flashpoint yet again at the riverside villages with the breeding season of estuarine crocodiles fast approaching.

Reports of crocodiles attacking men and livestock pour in side by side with the human retaliation. For apparent reason, Bhitarkanika National Park authorities here are in a spot of bother.

Frequent intrusion of crocodiles into places of human habitations has triggered man-animal conflict at the villages. Recently, an intruding crocodile killed a 13-year-old boy at Balichandrapur village while angry local residents had beaten to death a rogue croc last week at a sanctuary-side Rajasahi village. Since the past one week, forest personnel have caught alive at least two crocodiles, which had trespassed into village water bodies, thereby saving the animals from facing people’s fury.

Measures to curtail the man-animal conflict are under way.

The forest department is gearing up to tackle the situation in view of rise in cases of the crocs’ intrusion into village-side rivers, rivulets, water bodies and creeks.

“It has turned out to be a challenge for us both to ensure the safety of men, domesticated animals and protecting the endangered estuarine crocodiles. Steps have been taken in this regard,” said Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, divisional forest officer of the Rajanagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division.

In recent past, salt-water crocodiles on the prowl have often trespassed into water bodies in and around the sanctuary-side human settlements.

Since the past one year, as many as nine adult and sub-adult salt-water crocodiles have met tragic end after acts of trespass into places of human habitations. Similarly, rampaging crocs have claimed eight human lives besides over 100 cattle.

The forest department has launched cash incentive scheme for people for information on crocs’ trespassing. The informer would receive Rs 500 as incentive. The scheme is to drive away the crocodiles on time before they could harm humans or domesticated animals. Besides, service groups of skilled fishermen are also deployed to chase the reptiles from places of human habitations.

Local residents living along the croc-infested rivers are instructed not to venture into the water bodies. The bathing ghats, where crocodiles roam around, were being fenced with bamboo-pole barrier to protect the people from possible crocodile assault, Mahapatra said.

The species are itinerant in nature and stray into the adjoining water bodies because of its increase in hyper-salinity contents.

This year, 1,646 estuarine crocodiles were enumerated living along the Bhitarkanika’s water bodies.

Wildlife researchers, studying on salt-water crocodiles, are of the view that habitat of these species is getting squeezed in about 26sqkm of water bodies within the national park.

These reptiles prefer the ideal water bodies because of its salinity contents. The salinity level in some of the water bodies might be dropping proving less ideal for crocodiles.