24 Crocodiles Rescued From Vadodara Amid Heavy Rains And Flooding

A total of 24 crocodiles were safely removed from residential areas in Vadodara, Gujarat, after intense rains between August 27 and 29 caused the Vishwamitri river, which flows through the city, to rise significantly, a forest department official reported on Sunday.

The river hosts around 440 crocodiles, many of which enter residential zones during flooding, particularly when water is released from the Ajwa dam, explained Vadodara Range Forest Officer Karansinh Rajput.

In addition to the 24 crocodiles, 75 other animals, including snakes, cobras, five large turtles weighing nearly 40 kilograms, and a porcupine, were rescued over these three days. Several residential areas are located close to the Vishwamitri river, he noted.

"The smallest crocodile we rescued was two feet long, while the largest, measuring 14 feet, was captured on Thursday in Kamnath Nagar, near the river. Local residents alerted us to this massive crocodile. On the same day, we also rescued two other crocodiles, each 11 feet long, from EME Circle and an open area near the Zoology Department of MS University," Rajput shared.

Fortunately, there were no reported incidents of crocodile-human conflict during this period, despite the heavy rainfall affecting the region and most of the state.

"Crocodiles typically do not attack humans. In the river, they mainly feed on fish and animal carcasses, though they may also prey on dogs, pigs, or other small animals. A video of one such incident recently went viral," the RFO mentioned.

As the water level in the Vishwamitri river has now receded, the rescued crocodiles and other reptiles will be released back into the river, he added.