KOLKATA, 2 JAN: An enumeration of the crocodile population has been planned for the first time in the creeks and rivulets of the Sunderbans, Mr Pradip Vyas, director of Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve, said. He said the three-day enumeration would begin on 15 January. “We will collect data on crocodile population, various parameters (size, age, etc.) of the reptiles, water salinity, water temperature and the number of casualty or injury in man-crocodile conflict in the region. Experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the forest officials of Orissa, who have experience in conducting similar assessments, have been roped in to participate in this endeavour,” said Mr Vyas. Usually tiger censuses are conducted by counting pug marks and collecting excreta, but this is not considered a scientific method to conduct a wildlife census. An enumeration of crocodile population at Bhitarkanika in Orissa was conducted by applying similar methods. So, how would the assessment be conducted here? Mr Vyas said that since this is the first time that a crocodile census is being conducted in the Sunderbans, the forest department is not putting too much emphasis on scientific methods. The experts will plan their itinerary and the forest officials will accompany them. Thirty-one teams, with three members each, will scan the creeks/rivulets of the Sunderbans for enumeration. They will collect data and count the crocodile population based on reptile sighting. Mr Samir Chandra Pal, assistant divisional forest officer, South 24-Parganas, said the enumeration will be undertaken in daylight. Forest officials will use boats, speedboats and ferries to scan the creeks/rivulets, including Matla and Muriganga in the Sunderbans. “There are two types of crocodiles in our state: Gangetic and salt water. Though we are in the dark about crocodile population in the Sunderbans, we expect that the reptiles will be counted through direct sighting,” Mr Pal said.