World Crocodile Day 2024

Context:

• World Crocodile Day was celebrated on 17^th June.
• Also 2024 marks 50^th year of India’s Crocodile Conservation Project.

Crocodile Conservation Project:

• India launched its Crocodile Conservation Project in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park in 1975
• Assistance by – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Crocodiles:

• Largest surviving species of the vertebrate class Reptilia.
• Habitat – Except for one saltwater species, crocodiles live mainly in freshwater swamps, lakes and rivers.
• Behaviour – Nocturnal animals and are poikilothermic (regulate their body temperature only to limited degree).
• 3 main species of crocodiles in India – Estuarine or saltwater crocodile, Mugger or marsh crocodile, Gharial
• Major threats – Habitat destruction, egg predation, illegal poaching, dam construction, sand mining etc.

Main species of crocodiles in India:

Species	Description	Protection Status
Estuarine or saltwater crocodile	Largest living reptile on earth. Found in only 3 locations: Bhitarkanika, Sundarbans and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.	IUCN: Least Concern Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (WPA) CITES: Appendix I
Mugger or marsh crocodile	Broad snouts, dig burrows or holes for nesting purposes. It is present in 15 Indian States including much of the Ganga River drainage.	IUCN: Vulnerable Schedule I of WPA CITES: Appendix I
Gharial	Named Gharial due to a bulbous knob at the end of their long narrow snout. Primarily eats fish. Inhabit freshwater rivers: Chambal, Girwa, Ghagra, Son and Gandak.	IUCN: Critically Endangered Schedule I of WPA CITES: Appendix I

Bhitarkanika National Park:

• Location – Odisha
• India’s 2^nd largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sunderbans. 
• It is a Ramsar site.
• Inundated with waters of rivers – Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra and Patasala.
• Home to largest congregation of Saltwater Crocodile along with water monitor lizard, pythons, hyenas etc.

Source: DTE

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Previous Year Question

Consider the following statements:
1. Asiatic lions are naturally found in India only.
2. Double-humped camels are naturally found in India only.
3. One-horned rhinoceros are naturally found in India only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a)
Explanation:
Statement 2 is not correct. Besides India, they are found throughout the highlands of central Asia from Turkistan to Mongolia and their total population is around 20 million.
Statement 3 is not correct. One-horned rhinoceros are naturally found in Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.

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