Near the Dasht River in Balochistan, locals catch a marsh crocodile
Concerns over the preservation of the marsh crocodile in Pakistan were raised after locals in the Kuntani Hor region of Balochistan, close to the Dasht River, caught one of the animals.
The marsh crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), which was found to be more than four meters long, was captured by the locals and kept chained to a wooden pole until it could be released farther north. The event happened off the coast of Balochistan, some 20 kilometers north of Jiwani.
Numerous coastal rivers of Balochistan, including as the Hub, Hingol, Basul, and Dasht rivers, are home to crocodiles. Large crocodile populations are known to reside in these waters; some of them are reported to grow up to be over four meters long.
Local people in Sindh and Balochistan have always held crocodiles in high regard, believing them to be holy figures similar to the Muggar of Mango Pir. Conflicts, however, occur when crocodiles invade residential areas, which forces residents to occasionally take action against the animals.
The technical advisor for WWF-Pakistan, Muhammad Moazzam Khan, emphasized the vulnerable situation of the crocodile populations in the rivers of Balochistan, emphasizing that the Hingol and Basul rivers had the highest numbers.
He claimed that in order to ensure the crocodile’s safe release, WWF-Pakistan acted quickly to respond to the situation, sending a team to Kuntani and coordinating with the Balochistan Wildlife Department.
Due to its potentially hostile character, Sudheer Ahmed, a Field Officer with WWF-Pakistan, advised the people not to associate with the trapped crocodile. Sudheer also emphasized the significance of protecting these apex predators.
Khan emphasized that community awareness campaigns are desperately needed to protect Pakistan’s crocodile populations, given that the species is listed as endangered on the IUCN red list.
He emphasized the serious dangers that Pakistani crocodiles confront, blaming their predicament on habitat degradation and conflicts between humans and animals that are made worse by their extensive range over difficult terrain.
A marsh crocodile was caught by locals at Kuntani Hor near Dashat River, north of Jiwani in Balochistan. The crocodile was later released into the Dasht River by Balochistan Wildlife Department officials pic.twitter.com/hFaJk7qugo
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) April 28, 2024
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.
