The 5-feet-long elusive crocodile of Nag river was finally captured after 15 days by the forest team with help of four-member reptile rescue team of Kolhapur Forest Circle on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday. After reaching Nagpur on Saturday afternoon, the expert team from Kolhapur started operation with the help of forest team. Initially, they visited the backside of the Maharajbag Zoo where the cage was placed to capture the reptile. The expert rescue team placed another cage on the same spot with baits. Surendra Kale, Assistant Conservator of Forest, told ‘The Hitavada’ that the crocodile was trapped in one of the two cages around 2 am. Later, the team members carried it to the Transit Treatment Centre at Seminary Hills for keeping under the observation of veterinarians. The doctors examined the reptile and issued a fitness certificate for releasing it in the reservoir.

 

After examination, the reptile was shifted to Totladoh in a van on Sunday afternoon, said Kale. The residents of Gawalipura near Bhole Petrol Pump and Patrakar Sahaniwas had noticed the reptile many times from last one month. Residents informed the Forest Department about the spotting of the crocodile. Initially, the forest team failed to spot the crocodile in the river, but later the videos and pictures of the crocodile went viral on social media. Even, Forest Department started receiving calls from citizens about spotting more crocodiles at different patches of Nag river. As a result, the forest department put up alert banners for citizens at different places, appealing them not to venture near the Nag river. The forest team first spotted the crocodile 15 days ago on the backside of the Maharajbag Zoo. Since then a team was deputed on the spot to monitor the movement of the crocodile.

 

Due to the lack of expertise in rescuing reptiles, the Forest Department had decided to take time and observe the movement of the crocodile without disturbing it. Meanwhile, the department decided to take help from an expert rescue team from Kolhapur which has conducted such rescues many times. The expert rescue team with the help of forest department and Transit Treatment Centre (TTC) officials captured the elusive reptile in just 24 hours. This rescue operation provided much relief to citizens who were feeling insecure from the last one month. The rescue operation was performed under the supervision of P Kalyankumar, Chief Conservator of Forests (Territorial), and Dr Bharat Singh Hada, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Nagpur. Surendra Kale, ACF, Nagpur led the rescue operation and Vijaykumar Gangavane, RFO, Sarika Wairagade, RFO, Dr Santosh Walvekar, Veterinarian, Kolhapur Wildlife Circle, Kundan Hate, Member, Maharashtra State Wildlife Board; forestmen, volunteers of Wildlife Welfare Society including Sahil Sharnagat, Rakesh Bhoyar, Gaurav Waikar, Pankaj Badule, Nitish Bhandakkar, Anup Satpute and Ashok contributed in the rescue operation.