Kendrapara (Odisha), Jan 23 (Reporter) Much to the delight of wildlife lovers, as many as 33 albino crocodiles were sighted by the enumerators during the Saltwater crocodile status survey within Bhitarkanika National park. The census survey was carried out from January 19 to January 21 , ACF-in-charge of Kanika forest and Wildlife Range Manas Kumar Das, said. Most of the albino crocodiles, spotted by the enumerators, were less than 15 feet long , Das said. The brackish water bodies of the National park have now emerged as most favourable habitation corridors for white crocodiles.The typical complexion of these reptiles was mainly because of the genetic pigment malformation and mutant variation. Apart from the 33 white crocodiles, Bhitarkanika is also an abode of three other white crocodiles , including 49-years female albino - Gori , 21-years old albino Mali and 6-years old albino Sundari , living in captivity in the park’s enclosure. The Bhitarkanika National Park has over the years established itself as the country’s most preferred abode of the albino estuarine crocodiles. The estuarine crocodile population was on the verge of extinction in the 1970s due to poaching. A survey conducted with the support of the World Wide Fund for Nature ( WWF) , Bombay Natural History Society and the New York Zoological Society indicated that almost 90 percent of these reptiles had been wiped out. The Government of India/FAO/UNDP project crocodile Breeding and Management began from a proposal for the development of a crocodile farming industry in India. This was done following the report of the first working meeting of the IUCN /SSC crocodile specialists groups in 1971 which had mentioned in general about the depleting status of the crocodiles in India. Dr. H.R.Bustard, an FAO expert on crocodile breeding & management had paid a visit to Bhitarkanika in May-June 1974. The Salt water Crocodile Research & conservation project at Dangamal was taken up in July,1975 with Dr. Bustard as Chief Technical advisor. The number of saltwater crocodiles in the Bhitarkanika National Park at that time was only 96 which has now gone up to 1826 as per the latest status survey conducted this month. Forest officials said a wild nest was spotted in the Kalibhanjdiha island inside the sanctuary area in the year 1975 and 25 Salt water crocodile eggs, which were laid in the wild were collected for artificial hatchling. These eggs were hatched into the hatchery of Dangamal Research & conservation centre. The hatchlings emerged from the eggs and were later released into the wild barring a partial albino named “Gori”, official sources said...////...