Celebrating 50 Years of Crocodile Conservation: Odisha's Pivotal Role

A Historic Milestone in Crocodile Conservation

Bhubaneswar: As India celebrates the 50th anniversary of its National Crocodile Conservation Project, the Orissa Environmental Society (OES) is advocating for the state government to officially recognize this significant achievement.

In a correspondence directed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, OES working president Jaya Krushna Panigrahi emphasized the need for state-level acknowledgment of Odisha’s remarkable efforts in crocodile conservation.

During the early 1970s, the three native crocodile species in India—gharial, saltwater crocodile, and mugger—were facing severe threats of extinction.

With assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and UNDP, India initiated its National Crocodile Conservation Project in 1975, designating Odisha and Uttar Pradesh as the initial states for this initiative. Notably, Odisha was the only state where all three species thrived in their natural habitats.