A new record of nesting site of Crocodile Crocodylus Palustris in River Panchaganga at Takawade, Tal-Shirol, Dist-Kolhapur: Expanding habitat of Crocodile
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/jaz.v45i2.5326Keywords:
Crocodylus palustris, Mugger Crocodile, nesting site, Takawade, Panchaganga River, habitat expansion.Abstract
The crocodile habitats in the tributaries of the Krishna River in Western Maharashtra are expanding day by day. A new location of crocodile nesting was reported in River Panchaganga at Takawade, Tal-Shirol, Dist-Kolhapur in April-May 2023. Recent observations in 2023 confirm a new record of active nesting at Takawade, identifying it as an important site for the species’ local reproductive cycle. Conversation with residents and Field data confirm the nesting of crocodiles at this new site. The discovery of a nest at Takawade follows a pattern of population expansion in the Shirol tehsil. The present nesting site is located on a riverbank approximately 10 feet from the water’s edge in the form of an excavated hole nest. This new record highlights a persistent shift in the species’ range within the Krishna basin and underscores the rising potential for human-crocodile conflict as nesting sites increasingly overlap with agricultural and domestic river use areas. Conservation of these sites is deemed vital for maintaining regional biodiversity, though it necessitates urgent management strategies by the forest officials to ensure the safety of local communities.
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