Jeypore:Jan, 16: For the first time, a crocodile census has begun in the Jeypore Forest Division. The counting has been going on for three days since last Tuesday. The Forest Department initiated this exercise following indications of the presence of crocodiles in the forest division.
Divisional Forest Officer Shubhendu Behera said that the State Forest Department had issued directions to conduct a crocodile census in the Kolab and Saberi rivers within the forest division. Earlier, there had never been any directive to conduct a crocodile count in this division. This year, for the first time, the PCCF (Wildlife) issued orders to carry out the crocodile census.
Under the Jeypore Forest Division, 8 teams were formed to conduct the census in 4 out of the 6 forest ranges.