Crocodilia in India

Crocodilia share an ancient relation with India. They are depicted along with many Hindu gods and goddesses in sculpture and painting. In the pre-historic period, seven species resided in India. The number has decreased to three primary species. The mugger (or marsh) crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) is found in lakes and rivers throughout the country.[1][2] The saltwater crocodile (C. porosus) is found along the eastern coast of the country and the Nicobar and Andaman Islands.[1] The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is found in river areas, though is greatly reduced from its previous range.

Family Crocodylidae

Mugger crocodile

Captive mugger crocodiles fighting in the Vandaloor Zoo in India

The mugger crocodile is India's most common species. They are not as long as saltwater crocodiles. Their average size is about 13–14 feet. Until the British colonised India, crocodiles were never critically endangered. Afterwards, an Indian biologist (of American origin) named Romulus Whitaker established the Madras Crocodile Bank for conservation and breeding of crocodiles. Now, there are thousands of crocodiles in the Madras bank alone. Although, in rest of India, one can still see crocodiles in wild - in rivers and national parks. Even today, there is a huge lack of information about these species because of taboos and folklore associated with crocodiles.

Saltwater crocodile

Saltwater crocodile

The saltwater crocodile is found in the eastern states of Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The largest specimen was found in Odisha, and reached 7.0 m (23.0 ft). Its population numbers about 300. Saltwater crocodiles live in the mangroves of Bhittarkanika and Sunderbans, Mahanadi Delta, and in the swamplands in Odisha and West Bengal (including rivers).

Family Gavialidae

A captive gharial at the San Diego Zoo

The largest gharial in the wilderness was a specimen which measured 19.5 ft (5.9 m), and was found River Girwa, at Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. It is the rarest crocodilian species. Only four were left in 1975 when Whitaker started a breeding programme of gharials. Their population has increased to about 1000. Earlier, they were found in rivers from Japan to Spain. They are now limited to India, Bangladesh and Nepal. It is found in only some rivers of India which include:[3][4]

Human intervention

Crocodile farms are used mainly for conservation & breeding programs.[2][5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Concise Encyclopaedia Of India. p. 46.
  2. 1 2 South India - Amy Karafin, Anirban Mahapatra. p. 94.
  3. ↑ Jhala, Y. V.; Gopal, R.; Qureshi, Q., eds. (2008), Status of the Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India (PDF), TR 08/001, National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2013
  4. ↑ Jhala, Y. V., Qureshi, Q., Sinha, P. R. (Eds.) (2011). Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India, 2010. National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. TR 2011/003 pp-302
  5. ↑ Crocodiles - Sally M. Walker. p. 44.

Further reading

  • Rockwood, Harry (1884). Among the Crocodiles, Or, Adventures in India. F. Tousey. Volume 1, Issue 616 of Five cent wide awake library
  • "Crocodiles: Proceedings of the 6th Working Meeting of the Crocodile Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission...". IUCN. 1984. pp. 29–32.
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