Bhitarkanika National Park authorities in Kendrapara district have decided to preserve the skeletal remains of an 18.5 feet long male crocodile, one of the giant size crocs in Bhitarkanika.
The carcass of the giant size male crocodile was retrieved near a creek of the national park earlier last month.
Since the crocodile was one of the largest crocs in Bhitarkanika, its skeleton would arouse interest among the visitors and so it was decided to preserve it in the interpretation centre museum of the national park, Range Forest Officer, Akshya Kumar Nayak said.
"During post mortem it was found that it had died of age-related sickness. Its body was buried near the crocodile breeding and rearing center. The skeletal remains would be later pulled together for preservation," he said.
For the preservation, herpetologists would be pressed into service and skeletal mounting work would be conducted from the reptile's bones and skull. It would then be joined together by skilled personnel. The skeleton would be preserved by the latest chemical treatment technique to keep the trophy intact, added Nayak.
