Salt Water Crocodile

B Y -  D A K S H  D E V A N S H
Salt Water Crocodile
 The saltwater crocodile (crocodylus porosus) is a crocodilian native
to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast
across southeast Asia and the Sudanic region to
northern Australia and Micronesia. It was hunted for its skin
throughout its range up to the 1970s, and is threatened by illegal
killing and habitat loss. It is regarded as dangerous for people who
share the same environment.
 The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile
and crocodilian known to science. Males grow to a length of up to 6 m
(20 ft), rarely exceeding 6.3 m (21 ft) or a weight of 1,000–1,300 kg
(2,200–2,900 lb.). Females are much smaller and rarely surpass 3 m
(10 ft). It is also known as the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific
crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile or informally as saltie.
Habitat
 The saltwater crocodile inhabits coastal brackish mangrove swamps
and river deltas from India's east coast, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to
Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei
Darussalam, Indonesia, Philippines, Palau, Solomon
Islands, Vanuatu and Australia's north coast. The southernmost
population in India lives in Odisha's Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary; in
northern Odisha, it has not been recorded since the 1930s. It occurs
along the Andaman and Nicobar Islands coasts and in
the Sundarbans. In Sri Lanka, it occurs foremost in western and
southern parts of the country. In Myanmar, it inhabits the Ayeyarwady
Delta. In southern Thailand, it was recorded in Phang Nga Province. It
is extirpated from Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam. In China, it
once inhabited coastal areas from Fujian province in the north to the
border of Vietnam.
Behavior
 The primary behavior to distinguish the saltwater crocodile from
other crocodiles is its tendency to occupy salt water. Though other
crocodiles also have salt glands that enable them to survive in
saltwater, most other species do not venture out to sea.
 Saltwater crocodiles are agile predators and display surprising agility
and speed when necessary, usually during strikes at prey. They can
also swim at 24 to 29 km/h (15 to 18 mph) in short bursts, around
three times as fast as the fastest human swimmers.
 While crocodilian brains are much smaller than those of mammals (as
low as 0.05% of body weight in the saltwater crocodile), saltwater
crocodiles are capable of learning difficult tasks with very little
conditioning, learning to track the migratory route of their prey as
the seasons change.
Food Diet
 the diet of adults is more likely to be based on reliable eye-witness
accounts. Hatchlings are restricted to feeding on smaller animals,
such as small fish, frogs, insects and small aquatic invertebrates. In
addition to these prey, juveniles also take a variety of freshwater and
saltwater fish, various amphibians, crustaceans, molluscs, such as
large gastropods and cephalopods, birds, small to medium-
sized mammals, and other reptiles, such as snakes and lizards. When
crocodiles obtain a length of more than 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in), the
significance of small invertebrate prey fades in favour of small
vertebrates, including fish and smaller mammals and birds. The larger
the animal grows, the greater the variety of its diet, although
relatively small prey are taken throughout its lifetime.
Threats
 The species is considered of minimal concern for extinction.
Currently, the species is listed in CITES as follows:-
 Appendix I
 Appendix II
 The saltwater crocodile was often hunted for its meat and eggs, and
its skin is the most commercially valuable of any crocodilian.
Unregulated hunting during the 20th century caused a dramatic
decline in the species throughout its range, with the population in
northern Australia reduced by 95% by 1971. The years from 1940 to
1970 were the peak of unregulated hunting and may have regionally
caused irreparable damage to saltwater crocodile populations.
Government Action to save the Species
 Crocodilians were threatened in India due to indiscriminate killing for
commercial purpose and severe habitat loss until the enactment of
the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. All the three species of crocodiles,
namely, Gharial, Mugger crocodile and Saltwater crocodile, in the
river systems of Odisha were on the verge of extinction by the
seventies. Crocodile population started to decline because of the
increasing human activity in the rivers and their other traditional
habitats. Also, the survival rate of the crocodile hatchlings was
relatively low because of predation. Piecemeal efforts were being
made since the sixties to save the crocodile. Dr. H.R.Bustard engaged
by UNDP/FAO and Government of India studied the prospects of
crocodile rehabilitation, and based on his report and guidance a
Crocodile Conservation Project was launched in 1975 in different
States.
Government Action to save the Species
 Odisha is recognized for the existence of all the three species of
Indian crocodilians, the Gharial, Mugger and Saltwater crocodile
conservation programme so it was first implemented in Odisha in
early 1975. The UNDP/ FAO provided funds and other technical
support through the Government of India.
 ‘Baula’ is the Oriya term for Saltwater Crocodile. At Dangmal in
Bhitarkanika sanctuary, salt-water crocodile eggs have been collected
locally; and young crocodiles have been released in the creeks and
the estuaries; and more than 2200 crocodiles have been released in
phases since 1977. This operation has been reasonably successful and
the crocodile population in the Bhitarkanika river system has
gradually been built up. Above 50 released female Saltwater
Crocodiles have laid eggs in the wild and bred successfully.
Size class and number of crocodiles
Hatch-lings Year-lings Juvenile Sub-adult Adult Total
525 303 210 100 220 1358
38.60% 22.30% 15.50% 7.40% 16.20% 100%

Census year and no. of crocodiles

2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
1358 1308 1330 1098 914

Forest ranges and no. of crocodiles

Kanika Rajnagar Mahakalapada Chandbali Total
1149 (84.6%) 172 (12.67%) 19 (1.40%) 18 (1.33%) 1358