India’s Only Albino Crocodile in Forced Spinsterhood Since Past 40 Years

Gori, the crocodile, is spending her life virtually in incarceration in a small pond inside Bhitarkanika National Park.

This is the touching tale of an albino female crocodile in incarceration in a small pond inside the Bhitarkanika National Park for over 40 years. Her fate has been hanging in balance between freedom and confinement as the Odisha forest department authorities so far have not been able to release her into the natural tidal creek flowing through the park.

Forty-year-old 'Gori', India's only female albino captive white crocodile, was to be released into the wild to enable her to adapt to the natural environment where she could have found a mate.  This was stated way back in 2014 by the state forest department authorities.

Ironically, that was one among many such statements made by the forest authorities in the past many years, as the crocodile (Gori (fair) has been named so because of her skin colour) is still in the pond, perhaps in contravention to any rules of wildlife conservation.

The pond Gori stays in has been slightly refurbished with small outlets connecting with natural water bodies so that she can enter the natural water bodies. But this did not bring any relief to her other than giving her some more space on the peripheries or a little feel of the natural ambience.

Many years have passed since then and Gori still in her original pond, may be due to her homing instinct. Which is the natural instinct of any animal.

Forest authorities would have us believe that a few attempts in the past to release a male crocodile in her pond had resulted in fights as Gori may not have brooked any outsider as her inmate in ‘her’ pond. It is also stated that fights among them (male partners) could be more damaging for the reptile.

Rather, experts believe that such attempts should have been made long ago to allow Gori to adapt to any other crocodile as a breeding partner. 

This was considerably delayed, ending up in making Gori a specimen for tourists and publicity.  

“The proposal to set free the reptile had been contemplated in the past. But it was shelved after wildlife experts expressed apprehension that the species in the wild might assault Gori,” said a forest official on the condition of anonymity.

"As its habitat has been given a natural ambience, the reptile now can freely move to nearby water bodies and water-inlets. It is slowly adapting itself to natural environments," said another park staff, requesting anonymity.

However, the decision to set Gori free has been taken by the Bhitarkanika National Park authorities, say sources. "The department has conducted an experiment with 'Hyderabadi', another captive crocodile inside the park, which is roughly the same age as Gori,” L K Purohit, wildlife expert and former forest officer, told this writer. 

Hyderabadi was released to the wild and has adapted to the wild environs. It is coming back to the closed enclosure for basking.

The other crocodiles in the creeks have not caused any harm to Hyderabadi, which is free in its movements to and fro from the natural creek and her pond.

“Then why has Gori not been released is still a big question before the authorities?” said Purohit.

The rare eight-feet long reptile has been virtually caged in a pen inside the Dangmal Crocodile Research Centre in the Bhitarkanika National Park for the past 40 years since its birth in 1975. She eats 2 kg crabs and fishes every day.

The authorities, however, claim, “We are optimistic that Gori may also adapt to the wild environment once it is released from the pen”.

The pond in which Gori lives does not have enough flat mud where she can bask in the winter sun, which is an essential exercise by these reptiles to virtually recharge their energy.

On occasions, the albino species has been sighted attacking male partners. Otherwise, it is mostly docile in nature, while the other captive croc Hyderabadi has often been found aggressive, officials had said earlier.

The question now is, when will Gori breathe freedom, or will it continue to lead a claustrophobic life? 

The writer is a freelancer based in Odisha.