Mugger crocodile rescued near Odisha's Similipal

A three-year-old mugger crocodile was rescued on Wednesday from a pond in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, forest officials said.

During fishing in the morning, the six-foot crocodile was caught by the villagers at the Bholagaria foothills of Similipal in the Udala range of the Baripada forest division.

A team of forest officials visited the spot for the rescue. The mugger was treated for its injuries sustained during fishing, Baripada Divisional Forest Officer Santosh Joshi said.

Later, it was released inside the Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary, the official said.

Also known as marsh crocodiles, the species are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act and specified as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red list of threatened species.

The mugger is found in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal saltwater lagoons, according to the IUCN.

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