Mumbai: Nine-foot-long Indian marsh crocodile rescued in Mulund

The RAWW rescue team along with the crocodile

Residents of a Mulund housing society received an unexpected visitor recently - a nine-foot-long Indian marsh crocodile. Thanks to the swift efforts of the Forest Department and the NGO RAWW, the reptile was safely rescued and released back into the wild.

Pawan Sharma, Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane and President of RAWW, shared details of the incident: "On Sunday morning, a distress call was received by the Forest Department's control room about a large crocodile spotted near Nirmal Lifestyle in Mulund West. Joaquim Naik and Kunal Thakkar from our RAWW rescue team, working in coordination with forest officials, assessed the situation and successfully rescued the nine-foot-long Indian Marsh Crocodile."

The nine foot Indian Mugger Crocodile

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Following the rescue, the female crocodile was given a medical examination by veterinarians' Dr Priti Sathe and Dr Kirti Sathe, who confirmed that the reptile was fit for release. The Mumbai Forest Department, along with the RAWW team, subsequently returned the crocodile to its natural habitat.

"The crocodile is believed to have been displaced from either Tulsi or Vihar Lake," Sharma added. "Security personnel at the site spotted the animal and informed the Forest Department. While such sightings or rescues may seem rare, there have been similar incidents in past years."

Known as the Mugger Crocodile, the Indian Marsh Crocodile is native to the Indian subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and parts of Iran. It thrives in freshwater environments like rivers, lakes, ponds, and even man-made reservoirs, avoiding saline habitats unlike its saltwater counterpart.

Once widespread across the subcontinent, the population of the Mugger Crocodile has dwindled over time due to factors such as habitat destruction, hunting, human encroachment, and the loss of prey. The species plays a vital role as a top predator, maintaining the ecological balance of its environment, making conservation efforts critical amidst increasing human-wildlife conflict.