Sanghar / Karachi:
Due to its unattractive appearance and its formidable body, people often feel uncomfortable around crocodiles and tend to keep their distance. But they are not as dangerous as they appear!
There is no official survey on the total crocodile population in the Sindh. Their presence is completely visible in certain regions, notably Deh Akro (Hub Dam) and Nara Canal (Sukkur).
On February 28, in a remote region of the Bloodhar district, a local resident, Ajmal Das, spotted a suspicious object in a water channel. Believing that it is a fish, he tried to catch it. To his surprise, he turned out to be the body of a marsh crocodile, which, according to his declaration, had already started to decompose and emits a foul odor.
He reported the discovery to local managers of the Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD), who quickly arrived at the scene and took possession of the body.
“He was already dead when we reached the place,” said Asad Marri, the head of the SWD district, while speaking at L’Express PK Press Club. “After an in-depth examination, he was immediately buried, because the decomposition had already settled,” he added.
According to managers, the area is not a natural habitat for crocodiles, although they are sometimes identified in the water canals. There was no report of crocodile attacks in the region.
“No one confirmed to having seen living crocodiles in the same area where this body was found,” said Marri.
Interestingly, about two weeks earlier, Marri and his team had spotted another crocodile carcass about 30 kilometers from the current location. He suspected that it could have been the same body. “The water current was too strong for us to collect it at the time,” he said.
According to information from wildlife experts, there are about 26 species of crocodiles worldwide, but in Pakistan, the marsh crocodile is most frequently found, especially in Sindh and Balutchistan.
The body of the marsh crocodile is not considered precious in the leather industry, unlike the crocodiles of Nile and salt water, which are appreciated for their durable and high quality leather.
The marsh crocodile is known to be relatively inactive and is classified as an ambush predator. It can survive up to six months without food. “He does not attack humans. It is a” darvish ” [a harmless being]”Begin the provincial chief of Swd, Javed Ahmed Mahar.” He has acquired an undeserved reputation because of his unattractive appearance, but it is not as dangerous as people believe it. “”
“It is not an active hunter and prefers stagnant waters, like backwaters, rather than rivers flowing,” he added.
Crocodiles are considered scales and are often seen lounging near the water bodies.
“There is no request for crocodile meat in Pakistan,” said Mahar in response to a question of whether his meat is sold on the markets. “Most people lack precise knowledge about fauna and often disseminate unaccussional information.” Under article 21 of the 2020 law of the protection of fauna, conservation, conservation and management of Sindh, crocodiles are a protected species.
Many animals are considered to be “associates” in the ecosystem, such as crocodiles and blind dolphins of the Indus. According to Mahar, crocodiles do not attack these dolphins. “The dolphins live in the flowing water, while crocodiles have no energy to hunt them,” he said.
