Was crocodile a victim of roadkill?

RAJKOT: A marsh crocodile was found dead on a road near Dervan village, some 12 km from Junagadh, on Thursday.

Primary investigations carried out by the officials of forest department suggest that the crocodile may have been run over by a vehicle during the night.

Its carcass has been sent to Sakkarbaug Zoo for postmortem. Sources said it was the first such incident where a crocodile got killed in a road accident.

Marsh crocodile has the highest legal protection in the country as it is listed in schedule one category of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Also known as muggers, these crocodiles are freshwater species. They had a tough time across the region last year because of scanty rainfall. The dry lakes and water bodies had forced them to leave their freshwater habitats and migrate to other natural water sources.

They prefer slow moving, shallow bodies of water rather than, fast-flowing, deep areas. They are also known to thrive in man-made reservoirs and irrigation canals.

It is estimated that there are about 600 marsh crocodiles in Junagadh district.