A Mugger crocodile with a fish hook stuck in its mouth has been rescued from a village pond in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad and released into River Chambal after medical treatment.
Officials said members of Wildlife SOS and the Uttar Pradesh forest department personnel rushed to help the crocodile after receiving a call from the regional forest officer.
The crocodile was rushed to the Wildlife SOS hospital in Agra, where an X-ray revealed that the fish hook was approximately three cm long and stuck in the crocodile’s jaw.
Wildlife SOS deputy director (veterinary services) Ilayaraja said the crocodile was in pain and could have even starved to death. “We had to surgically remove the hook followed by post-operative care and laser therapy.”
Wildlife SOS CEO Kartick Satyanarayan said the rescue was challenging as it was night time and they had to use safety nets instead of a trap cage to rescue the large crocodile. “We are very grateful to the Uttar Pradesh forest department for helping us coordinate such a seamless rescue.”
Regional forest officer Tulsiram Dohare said, “We are thankful to the Wildlife SOS team for their expert assistance in conducting such sensitive rescue and release missions.”
The Mugger crocodiles are commonly found in freshwaters and are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act.
