KENDRAPARA: About 50 saltwater crocodile nests have been spotted near the creeks, nullahs and river system under Bhitarkanika National Park by the forest officials, during the ongoing nesting season. Forest officials spotted at least 50 nesting sites and about 5060 eggs were sighted in each site. The eggs will hatch in the natural process within 75 days. The forest department is keeping a periodic watch of the eggs on the nesting sites, said Sudhakar Kar, a noted herpetologist and crocodile researcher of the Forest and Wildlife Department of the State on Saturday. "It is not possible on the part of forest officials to detect all the nests of the reptiles as many crocodiles lay eggs in dense mangrove forest also. Last year we located 65 crocodile nests. This time during the first phase 50 nests have been sighted. Within two weeks more than 70 nests are likely to be sighted'', added the forest official. Forest official informed that some of the eggs will be collected from the nesting sites and hatched in the 37 yearold crocodile breading and rearing center at Dangamala within the park and later the hatchlings will be released into the wild. As per the reptile census report, 1612 estuarine crocodiles were found in Bhitarkanika.