India, Nov. 3 -- Five saltwater crocodiles have died in and around Bhitarkanika National Park in less than a month, taking the reported toll from unnatural deaths to 22 in six years and 44 in 14 years .

Conservationist Sudhakar Kar has attributed the deaths to inadequate protection and illegal fishing nets, which can trap crocodiles and cause them to drown.

Bhitarkanika's crocodile population has recovered from an estimated 95 in 1975 to 1,858 in January 2026

A female saltwater crocodile was found dead in the Hansua river near Badakota village on November 3, marking the fifth reported crocodile death in 27 days in and around Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district. The deaths have raised concerns about illegal fishin...