Day visitors allowed entry into Bhitarkanika National Park

A fortnight after a partial reopening, the Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district has been thrown open for public on Monday amid strict adherence to COVID-19 protocol, an official said.

A fortnight after a partial reopening, the Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district has been thrown open for public on Monday amid strict adherence to COVID-19 protocol, an official said. The national park shut since March following the outbreak of COVID-19 had reopened on October 1 allowing the visitors only for overnight stay at tourist cottages.

The national park on Monday allowed the day visitors in a graded manner. In view of the pandemic, only 500 visitors are being provided entry permits to gain access to the park. The visitors are being subjected to thermal screening.

Use of face masks, sanitizers and maintenance of social distancing has been made mandatory in accordance with COVID-19 protocol. Any deviation will be sternly dealt with as per the legal provisions of Epidemic act and disaster management act, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bikash Ranjan Dash. The footfall in the park was less than 100 after it fully reopened on Monday. "We are expecting a rise in footfall in the coming days in view of the fast approaching festive season," he said.

"Our emphasis is on ensuring safe and comfortable sojourn of visitors who throng here in large numbers to savour the warmth of the ecosystem and unique environs of its wetlands," he added. Bhitarkanika National Park is famous for its luxuriant mangroves, migrating birds and turtles, estuarine crocodiles and countless creeks.

The water-bodies at the Ramsar international wetland spots also house 70 per cent of Indias estuarine crocodile or saltwater crocodiles, conservation of which was started way back in 1975. Crocodile population in Bhitarkanika is estimated to be 1,757 as per the latest census.

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