Forest official rescue 4.4-foot marsh crocodile from a drain in Mumbai

Forest officials rescued a 4.4-foot-long marsh crocodile from a drain near a construction site in Mumbai’s eastern suburb on Mulund in the early hours of Monday.

Deputy conservator of forests, Thane division, Jitendra Ramgaokar  said, “We took seven hours to rescue the reptile which weighed around 8.8 kilogram.”

He added, a total 15-members from Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) and  forest department were engaged to rescue the animal.

“We placed nets at different locations after the water level of the drain was brought down. After several failed attempts the crocodile was snagged,” added Sharma.

According to forest department officials the crocodile was spotted around 3 pm on Sunday, who later informed the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW).

Pawan Sharma, RAWW president said, “We rushed to the spot. Our first task was to locate it so that it could be net. We are yet not clear how it reached the spot. Earlier to crocodiles have been spotted in the area but only during monsoons.”

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He added that they suspect that the crocodile may have pushed itself into the drainage system during the last monsoon and it survived all the time in the drain.

The reptile before being released in its natural habitat was examined by veterinary doctors. They identified it to be six-year-old marsh crocodile.