Place In News
Vishwamitri River and Mugger Crocodiles
- 13 Feb 2025
- 2 min read
The Government of Gujarat conducted a crocodile census in the Vishwamitri river of Vadodara, to estimate the population of mugger or marsh crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris).
- Vishwamitri River: Originates from the Pavagadh hills (part of Western Ghats) in Gujarat, flows through Vadodara, and joins the Gulf of Khambhat, fed by tributaries Dhadhar and Khanpur.
- Its banks had ancient settlements dating back to 1000 B.C., including Ankotakka (now Akota), which developed during the Guptas and Vallabhi rule.
- It hosts mugger crocodiles, freshwater turtles, and monitor lizards, making it ecologically unique among urban rivers.
- Mugger Crocodiles: Found in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal, with its range extending westwards into eastern Iran, mainly in freshwater habitats like rivers, lakes, and marshes.
- Found in 15 Indian states, mainly in the Ganga River basin (Bihar and Jharkhand), Chambal River (Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh) and Gujarat.
- They feed on fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. They are hole-nesting species, laying 25-30 eggs during the dry season, with an incubation period of 55-75 days.
- Face threats from habitat destruction, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.
- Conservation: Vulnerable (IUCN), CITES (Appendix I), and Schedule I (Indian Wildlife Protection Act ,1972).
Read more: Mugger Crocodile
