Eleven baby crocodiles rescued from water tank near Vihar Lake in Bhandup
Eleven baby crocodiles were safely rescued from a water tank near Vihar Lake in Bhandup late on Saturday evening. The reptiles were spotted by maintenance workers during a pre-monsoon cleaning operation, prompting an immediate rescue response from forest officials and wildlife experts.
The workers carrying out the cleaning and maintenance operations at the water tank premises noticed several reptiles inside the tank. They immediately alerted the Mumbai forest department, which initiated the rescue operation. The department received assistance from experts of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW).
The entire rescue operation lasted approximately 90 minutes. The infant crocodiles were safely retrieved from the tank under the supervision of forest officials and wildlife rescuers.
According to a press statement issued by RAWW, the rescued baby crocodiles will undergo a comprehensive medical examination. Following the medical clearance, the reptiles will be released into their natural habitat within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
The operation was conducted under the direct supervision of Sachin Repal, deputy conservator of forests for the Thane Territorial Division. Other key officials involved in supervising the operation were Santosh Dagle, range forest officer for Mumbai, and Rama Bhangre, round officer for Mulund.
The hands-on rescue team included Chinmay Joshi, a zoologist and secretary of RAWW, alongside Aman Singh from the RAWW rescue team. Local wildlife rescuer Hasmukh Valanju also participated in the successful operation to secure the baby crocodiles.
This incident highlights the active presence of crocodiles in the suburban lakes of the region. "Crocodiles are known to thrive in Mumbai’s three major suburban lakes and are occasionally seen in the Mithi River as well," RAWW stated in its official press release.
This successful rescue comes less than a week after another similar incident in the area. During a similar pre-monsoon cleaning exercise at another site, two baby crocodiles were found and successfully rescued.
