Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Odisha’s Kendrapara district is the only district in India where all three species of crocodiles – salt-water, gharial and mugger are found. Earlier the district has already claimed fame for its successful conservation programme for salt-water or estuarine crocodiles at the Bhitarkanika National Park.
According to the official reports, the national park, having 1,768 estuarine crocodiles, is home to 70 per cent of India’s such crocodiles, the conservation of which was started way back in 1975. JD Pati, the divisional forest officer of Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest stated that with the sighting of mugger and gharial crocodiles, all three species of crocodiles have been found in the river systems of the district.
He further added that a gharial hatchling was rescued from Paika River, a tributary of Mahanadi, near Ameipala River in Mahakalpada block on Sunday. In 2016, the sighting of a 14-feet-long mugger was reported. These sightings provide credence to the fact that the river systems in the Kendrapara district are home to all three species of crocodiles.
