Goa's 'warrior' crocodiles fight battle for survival

PANAJI: Marsh crocodiles, who once 'fought wars' to save Goa from being captured by Portuguese rulers are now facing extinction due to increased poaching, environmentalists feel.
   
"The crocodile sightings have drastically reduced in the recent times. The reasons could surely be habitat destruction and poaching", Nirmal Kulkarni, an environmentalist, who has been closely following these reptiles, said.

Cumbharjua-Banastarim canal, part of Mhadei river in north Goa near here, has been the habitat of these crocodiles, which led a 'naval warfare' during famous Banastarim battle in 1511.

"They were used twice, first in 1510 and 1511, when Adil Shah of Bijapur made the last ditch attempt to save his territory (parts of Goa) from Portuguese, Prajal Sakhardande, a historian said.

Post-1510 and 1511 battle, Portuguese had their second conquest in the form of Tiswadi island and Banastarim fort.

Crocodiles played major role in the battle. The soldiers who used to walk on a temporary wooden bridge which connected them to the fort were thrown in the water so that they are attacked by these reptiles, said Sakhardande.

This warfare technique was unique to Adil Shah, he said.

Interestingly, these crocodiles and their warrior spirit also finds place in the Goan folklore.
   
"The folklore confirms these crocodiles were specially brought in to be used in warfare. But I think they must be already existing in Goan waters and were used as warriors as they were natural inhabitants here," the historian commented.

Since Goa managed to attain liberation in 1961, these crocodiles which were ostensibly a part of the history have been facing increasing risk of extinction.

"There is no exact figure of these crocodiles left but I feel they must not be around two dozen of them," Kulkarni said.

Almost three metres in length, these marsh crocodile have olive brown colour with yellowish white underbelly.
   
"They usually spend the day basking on the banks or rocks ready to slip into the waters on slight disturbance, and look spectacular with their open mouths and listless bodies simmering in the afternoon sun," says Kulkarni.
   
However, their citings have become rare according to the environmentalists.
   
"I have visited the area on numerous occasions in the summers and monsoons, and secondary evidences like burrows, marks on the mud flats and others were difficult to find," an environmentalist said.
   
"It is schedule-I animal and is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act with the punishment ranging from one year to seven years," Kulkarni pointed out.

Concerns are raised that these animals have fallen prey to poaching and tourism boom.
   
"It is feared that individuals and establishments particularly spice farms and other such tourist places kept some crocodiles in captivity to pull the foreign crowds during the tourist season. Besides, the crocodile meat too was being supplied on certain feast days in far-flug south Goa," Kulkarni said.
   
The forest department, on the other hand, concedes that they have not conducted census of these reptiles.
   
"There is no census and hence it is difficult to point out their figure," C V Reddy, conservator of forest (territorial and wildlife), state forest department, said.
   
He said the department has come across worries expressed by certain NGOs and environmentalists about marsh crocodiles.

"For sure, within two to three months we will formulate a strategy to have their census and if their population is found dwindling, we will protect them," Reddy said.