How can he eat now????

[Hymakar Valluru]

Fishing net stuck to Crocodile's mouth...how is he going to untangle now?

This is in Ranganathittu where fishing is not allowed imagine situation where fishing goes on a regular basis..

If we cannot avoid using plastic.. atleast we should use it wisely without effecting other beings... and also proper cleaning processes to be put in place..

We call them wild.. who is wild?

[Abhishek Jamalabad]

This is indeed a disturbing sight. I was not aware that illegal fishing happens in Ranganathittu. Crocodiles have very weak pterygoid (jaw opening) muscles. Even slight restriction on them (by the net in this case) would make it difficult or even impossible to open the jaw.
Was anything done about this?

[Hymakar Valluru]

Guide who took us in boat was pretty casual about it.. there is complete insensitivity about it.... i am trying to find out with whom this can be raised for some action.

[Hymakar Valluru]

Just mailed this image to Minstry of Ecology and Environment, Karnataka

[Mrudul Godbole]

It surely was a bad sight to see the fishing net entangled in its jaw. There is also a stick stuck in its mouth (it can be seen in the image). Its good to know you have raised the matter to the Minstry of Ecology and Environment. I hope some action is taken soon. Thanks for sharing.

[Atul Sinai]

Quick action Hymakar to mail to Minstry of Ecology and Environment, good to know. Lets keep following up with them.

[Hymakar Valluru]

Morning one Mr. Praveen from a Conservation organization called me and provided the contact details of the DFO. I spoke with the DFO and i have been told that few more people had called him today to intimate this matter. He has assured that the needful will be done and explained the challenges involved and also the probable root causes.

It will be very important to study this further. If any experts in this area are interested we can get to the depth of the matter and perform some survey regarding the same to prevent any life loss or health issues of wild life.

I had requested Suchet to follow up tomorrow. :-)

[Hymakar Valluru]

Update : DFO has appointed to look into the matter and the concerned person has approached me for images, i have sent the 5 images i had and taken few from Atul Sinai as he had very close captures and encounters...

Few mins back the person who has taken us in the boat has called me to clarify whether was he there in any of the images sent and looked little worried. I had confirmed to him that images are only crocodiles.

So some action must have got initiated. Hope the poor crocodile is traced and rescued.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Good initiative Hymakar. Very happy to know that this issue noted during the India wilds meet is being followed up with prompt action unlike those who just post a few images to draw comments from people and then forget the issue itself. This was infact one of our topics of discussion during the meet ..... let us do what we can, instead of limiting ourselves to imaging, recording and commenting.... you are setting the right example here.

Rgds
Roopak

[Hymakar Valluru]

Today's update : Crocodile has not be traced yet, DCF has confirmed that people have been assigned to spot the crocodile and immediately inform the Mysore Zoo team where experts & Vets are there who can handle and treat crocodile. Some one has also called the chief warden about this and issue is hot and definetly on the radar of the concerned.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Its good to see you are following this. It looks like some action will be taken soon. I hope the images posted in this section will help to do some conservation work. Thanks for sharing the updates and following this issue.

[Hymakar Valluru]

Forest dept sheds no tears over croc’s plight at Ranganathittu

The image in the paper is clicked by Atul Sinai..

[Mrudul Godbole]

It is good that the media has taken up the issue. Unfortunately there is no mention of IndiaWilds in the news item . Thanks for sharing.

[Hymakar Valluru]

My apologies for not mentioning India wilds in the conversations and exchange of mails.

Infact I did not want my name in the article, I should have told them that i am calling from India wilds organization. Now i am struggling with so many calls as issue is sensationalized big time and i am grappling with all this without much of experience.

A group is always stronger than an individual.

This is a learning for all who is keen on conservation and want to drive initiatives particularly using media. Media will sensationalize to get attention and quick action so has to be extremely careful.

We should ideally have a lawyer and a media representative on the forum to deal with such issues and also an email id of India wilds which we can use to communicate.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

The media report seems have twisted the original subject, instead of talking of rescue and treatment of the animal , they have added a new angle of illegal fishing within the sanctuary limits which none of us saw... for all we know the animal could have got entangled in the nets upstream as the FD claims... Hymakars point was on the plight of the animal and to help it. When news reports add issues and angles which are not intended they shouldnt ascribe it to the person who is originating it....

Rgds
Roopak

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I hope IndiaWilds members take pride in mentioning the name of IndiaWilds. If not, then I would not blame them. I would consider that despite four years of existence, perhaps we have failed to manage the perception of some of the people. It came as a surprise to hear that IndiaWilds name has been missed out. However, I sure it was not intentional.

In India, conservation has failed because the few people or groups who have either floated a magazine or a NGO have tried to promote themselves at the cost of conservation. I sincerely pray and hope that we continue to break that mould.

We will have to track what has happened. The newspaper has, as is the practice in India these days, tried to sensationalise it the way they do breaking stories. The situation on the ground remains the same.

In the blame game whether illegal fishing has happened in their territory or not, the fact is that life of endangered species are at stake. The fishing net is tightly stuck around its snout. It can go without food for several days and survive. I hope it can survive.

This should also come as an education to people that such large predators can also get entangled in a fishing net.

[Hymakar Valluru]

Dear Sabyasaschi,

I think its my responsibility to clarify again.

Personally i take pride being the member of the August forum and also trying my best to promote among the people i know.

Missing out India Wilds name in the whole message to media was completely unintentional be rest assured. Its just slip from the mind in a 60 to 90 second conversation.

I was expecting from this forum the right contacts to reach out address this issue. This experience has taught me lot of lessons.

Going forward, Can we have some guidelines or helplines to approach when such issues are noticed? Can we have quick dos and donts? As you are the most experienced in dealing with such issues probably if you can provide answers to above points it will help a lot, as in anxiety our team members may run pillar to post and end up getting themselves into issues.

Thanks
Hymakar

[Atul Sinai]

Hey Hymakar, is there any update on the croc. Are the rangers able to track it?

[Hymakar Valluru]

Today i got a mail from one of the conservationist who visited Rangannathittu two / three during last week, he was informed that Crocodile has scraped the net and untangled itself by the staff there. He did not sight any crocodile stuck with the net.