5 Best Places to See 3 Crocodile Species in India
Crocodiles are ambush hunters and apex predator of river systems of the India. There are three crocodilians species found in India, Mugger crocodile, the Gharial and the Saltwater Crocodile.
Mugger crocodile and the gharial are found throughout the Indian subcontinent and they are ambush hunters,mostly prey on fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)
The Mugger crocodiles are found throughout the Indian subcontinent and one of the three crocodilians found in India. The medium sized Mugger mostly lives in lakes, freshwater ponds,major rivers of India and man made reservoirs.
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is known as Anamalai Tiger Reserve, located in the Anaimalai Hills of Tirupur district. The Sanctuary has Amaravathi Dam across the Amaravathi river and the reservoir is notable for largest population of mugger crocodile in India.
The largest wild population of Mugger crocodiles are live in Chinnar, Thennar and Pambar rivers of South India. Mugger crocodiles are also found in freshwater lakes in Ranthambore National Park and other man made dam reservoirs of India.
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
The Gharial or Fish Eating Crocodile is the longest of all living crocodilians, found only in northern part of the Indian Subcontinent. Gharial found in major river systems of the India such as Ganges, Chambal, Mahanadi and Son river.
National Chambal Sanctuary, Rajasthan / Madhya Pradesh
National Chambal Sanctuary also called as National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the Chambal river. The river sanctuary house largest population of Gharial in India along with endangered Ganges river dolphin and red crowned roof turtle.
Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh
Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in the Terai of the Bahraich district is home to endangered species of Gharial. The sanctuary is one of the best places in India for seeing the Gharial Crocodile in their natural habitat.
Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Saltwater Crocodiles are the largest species of crocodilians family and largest of all living reptiles in the world. The apex predator found in saline and brackish mangrove swamp forest of Bhitarkanika and Sunderbans.
Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha
Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district of Odisha is a separates swamp region and mangroves forest. The park is home to largest Saltwater Crocodiles in India and many other species of reptiles such as White Crocodile, Indian Python and King Cobra.
Sunderban National Park, West Bengal
Sunderban National Park is a densely covered by mangrove forest on the Ganges Delta. The mangrove houses a large number of reptiles including water monitor lizard, Salt water crocodiles, largest of all living reptiles species.
– Madras Crocodile Bank
Madras Crocodile Bank Trust by Rom Whitaker is a reptile zoo in the city of Chennai. The bank trust is the first crocodile breeding centre in India and responsible for saving 3 Indian endangered species of crocodiles.
Vishwamitri River
Vishwamitri River near Vadodara is home to 450 mugger crocodiles over a 25 kilometres stretch of the river. The reptile has no predators in the urban areas hence the population has been increased from 260 to 450.
