First crocodile census starts in India
Baku, January 17 (AZERTAC). The first ever crocodile census was kicked off in the Sunderbans, India, on Sunday. The exercise to be conducted in the daylight will help track the behavioral pattern of the apex predators of the aquatic system. A fund of Rs 10 lakh has been sanctioned.
It may be noted that there were reports of human-estuarine crocodile conflicts in Sunderbans in recent times especially from Sajnekhali and Kultoli areas.
Some predators were also spotted in the rivers inside the villages. The data will be sent to Wildlife Institute of India (WII) officials, who will compile it and give the final estimation within three months.
Thirty-one teams - 21 under Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (STR) and 10 under South 24-Parganas forest division - would take part in the estimation procedure, said a forest department official.
"We have distributed 31 kits, containing thermometers and GPS, among the teams. While thermometers will be used to measure the temperature of the water, GPS will help in reading location.
Each team comprises two foresters and an NGO member," said the official.
The teams have already left for their respective areas. Of the 1000 sq km to be covered under the four-day exercise, the prime areas will be Sajnekhali, National Park east and west. While two teams have been sent for Sajnekhali, eight teams will look after National Park east and west. Over 200 forest department staff will participate in the process.
"Sighting of other mammals, quality of vegetation and mud flats too will be recorded. The team members will also draw water samples to gauge the level of salinity in the mangroves," said Pradeep Vyas, the director of Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve. He also added that there will be no tourism and fishing activities in these four days. According to him, six supervisors have been deployed to oversee the functioning of the 31 teams. "Since most of the staff will be busy in the crocodile census, we have formed three special teams - to be stationed in Bakhna and Sajnekhali - to keep an eye on the tiger-straying incidents," Vyas added.
Chief wildlife warden SB Mondal and Sunderbans Tiger Reserve field director Subrat Mukherji were among other senior forest officials who were present on the spot on Sunday.
NGOs participating in the exercise are WWF, WPSI, NEWS, SHER and WII among others. Experts from International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will also supervise the process.
The exercise, to be conducted in the daylight, will help track the behavioral pattern of the apex predators of the aquatic system. It may be noted that there were reports of human-estuarine crocodile conflicts in Sunderbans in recent times, especially from Sajnekhali and Kultoli areas. Some predators were also spotted in the rivers inside the villages.
A fund of approximately Rs 10 lakh has been sanctioned. The data will be sent to Wildlife Institute of India (WII) officials, who will compile it and give the final estimation within three months.
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