Two crocodiles fly to Ahmdabad in Air India plane for free

Chennai: Two female crocodiles of the endangered African slender-snouted species are flown from Chennai to Ahmedabad as Air India, the national carrier, as part of the corporate social responsibility offered free air transportation in its plane AI 981 for these two 25-year-old reptiles, each weighing 110 kg, to Ahmedabad.The same airline already flew two Tomistoma crocodiles from Ahmedabad to Chennai in 2010. For the second time, the airline is offering this service free of cost. The crocodiles from Chennai will be kept at Center for Environment Education(CEE) run Sundarvan Nature Discovery Centre in Ahmedabad.

Madras Crocodile Bank Trust has more than 1,800 crocodiles of 17 varieties, out of which four are endangered species. While the male crocodiles of this species grow up to a maximum of 4 to 4.5 metres (12’ to 14’), the females grew only up to 9’. Normally, they are transported by road. Transporting by air is less stressful for the animal as the temperature is controlled inside the aircraft and travel is much quicker unlike on road. Necessary permission from the Central Zoo Authority of India has been taken for the transfer and all the IATA rules are followed.

Based on The Hindu story. Video from Dinamalar daily.