Nest and Nesting of Estuarine Crocodiles, <i>Crocodylus porosus</i> Schneider in Bhitarkanika National Park of Odisha, India

Sudhakar Kar; Soumya Darshan Pradhan

doi:10.36808/if/2019/v145i10/149194

Nest and Nesting of Estuarine Crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus Schneider in Bhitarkanika National Park of Odisha, India

Authors

Sudhakar Kar State Wildlife Organisation, Forest and Environment Department, Government of Odisha, India. Subhadra Nibas, Durgamadhab Nagar, Lane -1, P.O. Sampur, Bhubaneswar
Soumya Darshan Pradhan Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar, Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2019/v145i10/149194

Keywords:

Crocodylus porosus Schneider, Estuarine Crocodiles, Nesting, Bhitarkanika National Park.

Abstract

Study on nests and nesting biology of Estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus Schneider) was conducted for a period of ten years from April 2007 to August 2016 in Bhitarkanika National Park of Odisha, India. Crocodile nests were visited and monitored during each nesting season. The hatchling emergence and behaviour of nest guarding mother crocodiles were observed on some selected nests. The distance of crocodile nests from tidal water was recorded with a mean 6.23 Â± 4.23 m. The preferred nesting materials were Phoenix paludosa (59.78 %), Acrostichum aureum (29.15%) and Myriostachya wightiana (5.35%). The average size of nests within a week after egg laying: height 69.80 Â± 7.86 cm and diameter 152.80 Â± 11.86 cm. The number of wallows varies from one to four per nest. The nest height above egg cavity was 20.75 Â± 3.0 cm and below egg cavity was 25.91 Â± 1.31 cm. The egg clutch size varies with size and age of nesting crocodiles. It was observed that 23 nesting mothers laid minimum 30 to maximum 67 eggs (mean = 45.7 Â± 9.55). The mean egg length was 7.01 Â± 0.41 cm, width 4.9 Â± 0.39 cm and weight 110.6 Â± 4.37 gm. Nests were predated by Varanus salvator, Sus scorfa and occasionally Python molurus. Hatchlings were predated by Varanus salvator and Haliaeetus leucogaster.

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