New Delhi: In the aftermath of the Vadodara, Gujarat, floods, around 40 crocodiles have been rescued from the residential areas. As floodwaters recede, the wildlife department and several NGOs operating in the region have launched a massive operation to reunite crocodiles with their natural habitat
The rescue effort has caught the limelight of the internet with a now-viral video depicting two men, Sandeep Thakor and Raj Bhavsar, transporting a crocodile on a scooter. The image of a crocodile held horizontally by a pillion rider while the scooter speeds through the city to hand over the crocodile to the forest department.
The forest department, alongside NGOs and volunteers, have been working tirelessly to capture and relocate the animals. Deputy Conservator of Forests, Agneeshwar Vyas, has confirmed the rescue of nearly 40 crocodiles to NDTV, with 33 returned to the river, five in the rescue centre and two succumbing to accidental deaths.
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“We have released 33 back into their natural habitat river, five are in the rescue centre and two have died an accidental death,” he said. “During floods, when animals get dispersed, there is a possibility of accidental death,” the officer was quoted as saying by NDTV.
The rescue operation extends beyond crocodiles, with snakes and turtles also being extracted from residential areas. Similar efforts are underway in Ahmedabad’s Godhra, where a massive crocodile and its hatchling were spotted in a market post floods.
