Every 17th of June, across the globe, World Crocodile Day is observed to raise awareness about endangered crocodiles and alligators. This critical campaign aims to shed a spotlight on the plight of these incredible reptiles in various parts of the world, including India, where several crocodilian species are struggling for survival.
Crocodilian Species in India
India is home to three main types of crocodiles: the mugger or marsh crocodile, the estuarine or saltwater crocodile, and the gharials. Each has unique features that set them apart from the rest.
Mugger or Marsh Crocodile
The mugger crocodile is a dangerous, egg-laying, hole-nesting species found primarily in the Indian subcontinent’s freshwater habitats like rivers, lakes, and marshes. Interestingly, they can also thrive in coastal saltwater lagoons and estuaries. Tragically, the mugger crocodile population faces extinction in Bhutan and Myanmar due to habitat destruction, fragmentation, environmental transformations, fishing activities, and the use of their body parts for medicinal purposes.
Estuarine or Saltwater Crocodile
Recognized as the largest living crocodile species on Earth, the estuarine crocodile is notorious for being a man-eater. Their habitats stretch from Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park and the Sundarbans in West Bengal to the Andamans and Nicobar Islands, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. Threats to this species include illegal hunting, habitat loss, and widespread antipathy owing to its fearsome reputation.
Gharials
Gharials, sometimes called gavials, are Asian crocodilians characterized by their long, thin snouts likened to a pot (ghara in Hindi). Known as harmless, fish-eating species, gharials predominantly inhabit the freshwater regions of Himalayan rivers with their primary habitat located on the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains in Madhya Pradesh’s Chambal river. Unfortunately, gharials face threats from illegal sand mining, poaching, increased river pollution, dam construction, large-scale fishing operations, and floods.
Human-Crocodile Conflict
Rapid urbanization and human encroachment on riverside and marshy areas have significantly escalated human-crocodile conflict, particularly in hotspots like Vadodara in Gujarat, Kota in Rajasthan, Bhitarkanika in Odisha, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Solutions to mitigate these conflicts include strategies like better local awareness campaigns and possible crocodile relocations to preserve the ecological balance.
Indian Crocodile Conservation Project
The Indian government launched the Crocodile Conservation Project in 1975, beginning with the Gharial and Saltwater crocodile conservation programme in Odisha, followed by the Mugger conservation programme. The project saw successful outcomes, exemplified by the increase in saltwater crocodile numbers from 96 in 1976 to 1,640 by 2012.
Way Forward
To address the challenges faced by India’s crocodile populations, conducting comprehensive surveys using modern technology, manpower, and funds is crucial. Techniques such as geo-tagging can effectively monitor the reptiles’ movements, preventing human-crocodile conflicts and helping to ensure long-term survival of these remarkable species.
