Vadodara: Seeing a crocodile roaming on a public road might surprise many, but not Barodians, for whom this has become a common phenomenon. The reason behind this is the Vishwamitri River, which flows through the city and is home to hundreds of these reptiles. In February this year, the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation conducted a crocodile census along a 21-kilometer stretch of the Vishwamitri River. The census data has now revealed that the river is home to 442 crocodiles.

The census, carried out in collaboration with the forest department and Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), showed that this number is 60% higher than in 2022, when the crocodile population was recorded at 275.

The increase indicates that despite rapid urban development along the riverbanks, the crocodiles have successfully adapted to the river and its surrounding urban environment.

Experts believe that the plentiful fish population in the river, along with stray dogs and pigs that serve as food for the crocodiles, makes the river a favorable habitat. Although crocodiles have abundant food sources, attacks on humans remain rare in the city. However, some wildlife experts have expressed concerns that the rapid rise in the crocodile population might increase the risk of human-wildlife conflicts in the future. DeshGujarat