Font size:
Print
Species in News: Marsh Crocodiles
Context:
The two-day-long crocodile count in the Vishwamitri river wrapped up on February 6, 2025, with teams from the GEER Foundation and other local organisations involved in the process.
More on News
- The Vadodara stretch of the Vishwamitri, which spans 25 km, was divided into zones for the count, ranging from one to two kilometers long.
- Teams collected data on the number of crocodiles, their size, location, and activities. They also recorded sightings of other wildlife, such as turtles, monitor lizards, pythons, and porcupines.
- The previous count estimated nearly 300 crocodiles in the Vishwamitri River.
Vishwamitri River’s Unique Ecosystem
- The Vishwamitri river, which originates from the Pavagadh hill in Panchmahals district and flows 200 kilometers to the Gulf of Khambhat, is home to a unique population of mugger or marsh crocodiles.
- Despite the challenges posed by sewage and industrial pollution in the river, the crocodiles have managed to thrive in the 25-kilometer stretch that passes through Vadodara, a city of three million people.
- The river is primarily rain-fed and has been historically home to a significant population of crocodiles. The presence of these reptiles in such an urban setting makes it a significant ecological feature of Vadodara.
About Marsh Crocodile
- Scientific Name: Crocodylus palustris
- Common Names: Mugger, Muggar, Broad-snouted Crocodile, Marsh Crocodile
- Broad head and snout, robust body, resembling the American alligator.
- Broadest snout of any crocodile.
- First evidence of reptiles using tools: observed using sticks and twigs as hunting lures.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN: Vulnerable
- IWPA (India): Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
- Distribution: Found in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, and possibly in Bangladesh. The species also extends westwards into eastern Iran.
- Significant Indian populations in Ganga River drainage, Chambal River (Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh), and Gujarat.
- Habitat: Freshwater bodies like rivers, lakes, marshes, and artificial reservoirs.
- Diet: Primarily feeding on fish, but also preying on amphibians, reptiles (e.g., snakes, turtles), birds, and even mammals (e.g., monkeys, deer, buffalo). Juveniles feed on crustaceans, insects, and small fish.
Major Threats
- The potential for conflict arises when space or food is scarce. Devkar noted that conflicts can occur if humans encroach upon the river (through landfilling, dumping waste, etc.), but if both resources are abundant, crocodiles and humans can coexist peacefully.
- Crocodiles generally eat very little during the winter and are more active during the breeding season in the summer, when caution should be exercised.
Conservation Efforts
- The species is listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (IWPAA), which offers the highest level of protection.
- Conservation programs focus on preserving critical riparian habitats (the soil-water interface), reducing human-wildlife conflict, and enforcing stricter regulations on poaching and habitat destruction.
