SALTWATER CROCODILES

Nov. 26, 2018

At least two saltwater crocodiles have been sighted in the Andhra Pradesh coast within a month indicating migration of the species from the Odisha coast. These two crocodiles might have arrived through flood water. There was no record of such sightings in the Krishna-Guntur and the North Andhra coastal belt.

About:

Common name: Saltwater crocodile, estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile or informally as saltie.
Scientific name: Crocodylus porosus.
Size: It is Earth’s largest living crocodilian. It is the largest of all living reptiles. Average-size males reach 17 feet and 1,000 pounds.
Habitat and Distribution: They have an enormous range, populating the brackish and freshwater regions of eastern India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. They are excellent swimmers and have often been spotted far out at sea.
Indian scenario:
- In India, the Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP), Odisha, the Sundarbans and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are the prime habitats of the saltwater crocodile.
- The estimated number of the saltwater crocodiles increased from 96 in 1976 to 1,640 in 2012 in India due to the rear and release programme established under the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project.
IUCN status: Least Concern.