KENDRAPARA: The Bhitarkanika forest department has imposed a two-and-half-month ban from May 15 to July 31 on entry of tourists and visitors to Bhitarkanika National Park during the mating and nesting season of salt-water crocodiles. The forest department will also renovate five ponds at the Crocodile Breeding Centre at Dangamala within the park, said Prasanna Kumar Behera, DFO of the park. Entry of tourists into crocodile-infested areas at Bhitarkanika, Dangamala and Ragadapati forest blocks will be restricted, said the forest officer. According to forest department sources, entry of tourists during the nesting and breeding season of crocodiles might disturb the tranquil environment of the crocodile habitat. As the sound of the mechanised boats, carrying tourists and forest officials, is likely to disturb the crocodiles, only non-mechanised boats will be used during the crocodile mating period this year, informed the forest official. Once the reptiles get disturbed during the nesting and breeding period, they become more violent. And this is the reason why majority of crocodile attacks are reported during the nesting season. The female reptiles lay eggs inside the mangrove forest near the water bodies of the park and guard the eggs till the emergence of the hatchlings. Forest guards have been instructed to keep watch on the eggs of the reptiles as wild animals like snakes, wild boars and fishing cats may devour and destroy the eggs. Forest guards will also keep tabs on the movement of mother crocodiles. Many local forest dwellers illegally enter the forest area to collect honey and wood thus disturbing the reptiles. To prevent the entry of villagers, the forest department has put restriction on movement of locals, informed the forest official. As per the census carried out in January 2008, there are 1498 salt-water crocodiles in Bhitarkanika river system.