KAUMUDI (Kerala, India) 12 December 05 Crocodile giving sleepless nights to villagers
Kochi: A crocodile, which has found its way into a water body at Kadungalloor in Ernakulam district, is giving sleepless nights to the nearby residents and the authorities.
Efforts to bring it out of the waters using explosives have failed and the Ernakulam district collector has given orders to shoot it. However, animal lovers have registered their protest, saying it was against wild life provisions. The fresh water crocodile is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Act and only the wildlife warden had the powers to take a decision in the matter, animal lovers say.
The crocodile was sighted near a one acre pool formed by clay mining at MathuPadam near Kadungalloor panchayat on Wednesday. Scared villagers immediately informed the authorities, who have ordered that the reptile should either be shot or that explosives should be used to scare it out of the water. The chief wildlife warden at Thiruvananthapuram has been informed. Efforts are also being made to bring in experts from the Crocodile Park at Neyyar. People from nearby areas are queuing up to see the visitor
Crocodile giving sleepless nights to villagers