Odisha Marks 50 Years of Crocodile Conservation with Call for Mass Participation

Bhubaneswar : Odisha celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Crocodile Conservation Project on International Crocodile Day, with Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia urging citizens to transform crocodile conservation into a mass movement.

In a video message, the minister highlighted Odisha's unique ecological importance as the only state home to all three crocodile species—Saltwater (Baula), Mugger, and Gharial. “This effort is not just about saving one species, but about protecting rivers, wetlands, and biodiversity,” he stated.

Crocodiles, he explained, are vital for maintaining ecological balance as they help clean water bodies by feeding on dead organisms.

Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu reflected on the project’s origins in 1975, supported by the Government of India and the United Nations, when crocodile populations were critically low. Today, due to Odisha’s efforts, Baula crocodiles have risen from 96 to 1,880 in Bhitarkanika, Gharials to 16 in Satkosia Gorge, and Mugger crocodiles exceed 200.

Both officials emphasized the need to sustain these efforts to ensure long-term environmental health and ecological balance across Odisha.