Living with CROCODILES! Mugger, My Neighbour

The author relates an amazing story of co-existence in Gujarat.

- VEER SUPUNYA DEVAVRATA AND VNC, GUJARAT 

An hour's drive from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the district of Charotar (another name for Kheda district) is home to one of the most unique co-existence stories on the planet. For hundreds of years, the people of this land have lived amongst one of the most feared reptiles - the mugger crocodile.

Anand and Kheda are located (22°44'N, 72°21'E and 22°15'N, 73° 4'E) between two major rivers; Sabarmati on the western side and Mahisagar on the eastern, in central Gujarat. Ahmedabad. district is on its western side and Vadodara on the eastern side. Agriculture and dairying are the main activities in this area. About three fourth of the population depends on agriculture. Large areas in this region are irrigated by the Mahi Irrigation Project, and therefore irrigated farming is practised. Approximately 486 villages are directly benefitted through its 73.5 km long canal irrigation facility with a total cultivable area of 212694 hectares.

The Marsh Crocodile or Mugger (Crocodylus palustris) is one of the most common, widely spread and most adaptable crocodilian species in India; occupying a variety of habitats, including manmade reservoirs, seasonal tanks, large rivers, small pools, irrigation channels and urban drainages. They are legally protected under Schedule I in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and categorised as 'Vulnerable' under the assessment criteria of IUCN for threatened species. In the late 1960s, the species was depleted due to illegal hunting, fishing and habitat loss which brought muggers to the edge of extinction. But now, the mugger population is flourishing well due to the legal protection and the success of exsitu programmes and release practices.

IMAGINE BEING A HOMEOWNER AND SHARING YOUR LAND WITH CROCODILES. DIFFICULT ISN'T IT?