03 July 08 

40 crocodiles born at Vandalur

More than 40 young mugger, or marsh crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) have hatched within the crocodile enclave of India’s Arignar Anna Zoological park.

"Normally, 90 days are required for the crocodile eggs to hatch and the month of June is ideal due to the favourable weather conditions. As these eggs already crossed the 90-day deadline, since last week we have been expecting them to hatch," Biologist Basker (first name not reported) told The Times of India.

Unlike other reptiles such as snakes, which swallow their young when hungry, young crocodiles can be freely left with the adults; these reptiles consume food only once in a fortnight. "After two weeks, we will provide some quantity of beef for the young crocodiles; each adult crocodile is usually given 250 gm of beef a day," said the staff biologist.

There is concern too on the safety front. The ceilings of most of the enclaves are not properly covered and the young ones are carried away by large birds and dropped into nearby lakes and other water bodies. They grow up in these water bodies and gradually begin to pose a grave threat to the lives of the local people. Three years ago, a major exercise was undertaken and these eight enclaves along with others housing various rare reptile species were enclosed in nylon netting. But at present most of the nets are torn leaving the young crocodiles at the mercy of the wild birds.

In the last decade, many Indian zoological parks have been successful in breeding crocodiles. From a mere six zoos in 1980 breeding only mugger crocodiles, today there are more than 32 zoological parks in the country breeding all the three species of Indian crocodiles — marsh, salt water and swamp crocodiles.

The mugger crocodile, for the first time, was successfully bred in captivity in 1960 in the Ahmedabad and Jaipur zoos under the supervision of biologists Reuben David and R N Yadav.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/40_crocodiles_born_at_Vandalur/articleshow/3190736.cms

03 July 08  

Escape-artist alligator back home

At petting zoo in LaGrange

New York state’s Puiatti family had a big and scaly surprise recently when deciding to clean out the pool for the summer but, instead, found a 4ft/ 1.2 m alligator sunning itself on the pool cover.

Andy, the alligator, wandered off the nearby LaGrange-based Two By Two Petting Zoo, when a fallen tree broke open his pen. The heavy rain also washed away enough soil for Andy to squeeze under the perimeter fence.

Later, with Andy safely in police custody at the station, the search for the alligator's home began. Officers knew Andy did not arrive in LaGrange via Florida, but because the petting zoo did not report the alligator as missing, the police were unable to return him right away.

The zoo owner did not report the alligator missing because he knew Andy was close to their property. As a result, he was served with a ticket for failing to comply with the terms and conditions of their permit for the zoo.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19823268&BRD=1704&PAG=461&dept_id=71705&rfi=6

03 July 08 

Crocodile fears - Bhitarkanika too small

For reptiles and people

The Oriya name for the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is baula kumbhira, which literally means crazy crocodile. The moniker certainly rings true for people living in about 50 villages around Bhitarkanika National Park in Orissa's Kendrapara district. Home to the largest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in the country, the reserve is rife with human-crocodile conflict.

If people living around Bhitarkanika are to be believed, at least 50 lives have been lost in crocodile attacks in the past 10 years. Cattle too have fallen prey to the reptile whose predatory instincts become particularly sharp during the breeding and mating season: February to June.

Park officials, however, have a different story. They say the death toll quoted by the local people is highly exaggerated and that most deaths are accidental. "Deaths are not reported every year and it is never more than one or two in a year. People here have a tendency to exaggerate," he adds.

According to official figures, 14 people were killed by crocodiles in Bhitarkanika between 1996-97 and 2002-2003. The reptiles also claimed 31 cattleheads during the period.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/20080703/0307303.htm

02 July 08  

Gator gets new home here

Marla Isaac, owner of New England Reptile and Raptor Exhibits has rehomed the 4 ft/ 1.2 m- long, 30-lb/13.6 kg pet alligator which had escaped from its home and was found underneath a parked car in a residential neighborhood in Hyannis last month.

It seemed like the perfect fit — the alligator was looking for a home and Isaac was looking for a new unique addition to her educational animal program.

As part of her program, Isaac visits schools, libraries and communities across the region along with a roster of animals that includes a crocodile, pythons, lizards, turtles, hawks, owls, vultures, reptiles and various birds of prey.

According to Isaac, who is federally and state licensed to own exotic animals, almost all of the animals in her collection were either confiscated or given to her by people who no longer wanted them.

Over the years, Isaac has taken in several alligators and placed them with various educational programs across the country once they have become unmanageable for her.

http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x2010602335/Gator-gets-new-home-here

02 July 08 

Wildlife watchers say

More gator sightings likely in NC

North Carolina alligators seem to be making themselves home in some unlikely places.  Gators are native to the state’s coastal plain, but it’s possible to find them as far inland as Fayetteville and Lillington, wildlife officials said. Alligators often migrate up the Cape Fear River, wandering into feeder creeks. 

The biggest alligator ever caught in North Carolina was 12 ft, 7 in/ 3.8 m long. Wildlife officials say Brunswick and Columbus counties have the highest populations of alligators.

Alligators were removed from the federal endangered species list in 1987 after 20 years on the list.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3144525/

29 June 08 

'Fugitive' gharial spotted, not caught, in Galudih

A team from India’s Tata Steel Zoological Society rushed to Galudih, about 35 km from here, today after getting information that one of its missing Indian Gharials has been spotted in the Subernarekha.  However, the team, headed by zoo vet M. Palit, returned to the city empty-handed due to a strong current in the river.

Zoo director M.S. Jain said the gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) must be coming to the banks at night but attempts to catch them at that time would be risky. Attempts to lure the gharials out by throwing fish in the river has failed.

One alligator and four gharials were washed away after the zoo was flooded. While the alligator and one gharial were caught, three others are still missing.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080629/jsp/jharkhand/story_9479186.jsp

28 June 08 

Experts say telemetry

Can offer insights on gharial deaths

Indian wildlife experts say telemetry tests can provide insights into increasing deaths of Indian Gharials in the Chambal region and other parts of the country.

"We can be closer than ever before in understanding the real cause of gharial deaths. We are hopeful that telemetry test currently underway on gharials will fill in gaps in our understanding of this species," said Ravi Singh, CEO of WWF India and chairman of Gharial Crisis Management Group.

Over 100 gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) have died in the National Chambal Sanctuary since December 2007. A multi-disciplinary team under the chairmanship of Singh was set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to study possible causes of these mortalities and suggest ways to prevent them.

"Death of any specie in such large numbers is a clear indicator of release of heavy toxic material into gharials natural habitat and points at lax regulatory rules," said Satish Sinha, associate director of environmental NGO Toxics Link.

19 June 08

Czech Republic gets its first crocodile zoo

The first crocodile zoo in the Czech Republic that is also the first private facility of its kind in the country and Europe's second largest has been opened in Protivin this week.

The passionate breeder Miroslav Prochazka has gathered 25 crocodiles of 12 species from all continents where these predators live.Besides crocodiles, Prochazka also presents alligators, caymans and gavials in 11 terraria.

The crocodile species include even the most valuable ones that not even the largest European zoological gardens breed, such as the critically endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) of whom the last about 200 pieces live in the wild.

Another unique animal is the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), the sole in Europe, and the 3.5-metre-long Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), the largest of all crocodile species.

The zoo also intends to breed the largest group of Malayan gavials outside Asia, their country of origin.

"It is a world rarity. We have six males and four females," Prochazka said. The zoo will, however, not see any young before 15 years because the oldest, five-year-old male, can only start to reproduce at the age of 20.

"Our goal is to breed all 23 species living in the world, or about 100 specimens," Prochazka said.

He started to build the zoo in a former Schwarzenberg barn close to the main square in 2005, but he has bred crocodiles for nine years now. Three years ago he was the first in Europe to breed young of the Cuban crocodile, and the family of three offspring was joined by another six last year.

Prochazka plans to extend the number of current 11 terraria to 30 in which he wants to keep "all species of crocodiles from eggs, to the young, to adults," he said.

He said he also wants to open a small zoological museum featuring crocodile skulls and skeletons.

Prochazka cooperates in reproducing the endangered species with the zoological garden in Dvur Kralove, east Bohemia, and he also participates in the gavials protection programme run by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.

"In the past, humankind harmed crocodiles. Out of 23 species 14 have found themselves on the brink of extinction. The situation starts to improve thanks to these facilities," Dvur Kralove zoo zoologist Pavel Moucha has told CTK.

This story is from the Czech News Agency (C(TK).