A four-member team from Kolhapur wildlife division arrived in the city on Saturday afternoon to rescue the elusive crocodile in Nag river. The team consists of a veterinarian and three reptile experts. The team visited the spot on the backside of Maharajbag zoo where the forest team is keeping vigil on the crocodile for last 10 days. “The team has already visited the spot and erected one more cage. Now, we have laid two traps with baits on both sides of the river at the spot. Our team is monitoring the crocodile day and night and soon we will get success to rescue the reptile from the river,” Surendra Kale, Assistant Conservator of Forest, told The Hitavada.

 

In July, last year, Government of Maharashtra has decided to form a crocodile rescue team in State to rescue reptiles from water that enters during flood in Sangli, Kolhapur and other places of Maharashtra. In recent years, many districts of the State faced flood situation. During floods crocodiles swim to city localities. Such situations pose threat not only to citizens, but to the reptile and domestic animals too. Keeping this in mind, the Government formed a team of experts to handle such situation. “We have no expertise to rescue reptiles. Hence, we called the team from Kolhapur that rescued reptiles from water bodies in recent time. Currently, we are minutely observing the reptile and its behaviour,” said Kale. The Forest Department installed three camera traps also to monitor the movement of the reptile in the water body. The ACF said that the movement of the reptile was normal and the team was just keeping watch on the reptile. On Sunday morning, the rescue team will again visit the spot and check the cages installed on the spot, he added.