Dredging project: No conflict seen among displaced crocodiles

Vadodara: While extensive work is being conducted along the Vishwamitri river and crocodiles are moving into each other's territories, no major instances of conflict have come to light. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) started resectioning work on only one bank of the river to ensure that crocodiles can move to the other side.
A 24-km stretch of the Vishwamitri is being dredged by VMC as a flood mitigation measure. The committee appointed by the state govt to suggest flood mitigation measures for the city had recommended dredging of the river. The work began in March and the safety of the crocodiles was a major concern. Plans were made to ensure that the reptiles' dens and nestswere not damaged and the animals were not hurt in the process.
Crocodile rescue volunteers were kept ready to ensure that only crocodiles that rush away from the river in panic or pose a threat to those working are captured and relocated temporarily. No crocodile has been captured rescued so far, and volunteers have also not reported any major fighting among crocodiles, barring a duel between two males a fortnight ago. This confrontation also lasted just a few seconds.
An official pointed out that when dredging was done at Bhimnath Pond and the Vishwamitri river, a much larger group of crocodiles than the number usually seen there gathered at one point. But no confrontations were reported.
Vishwamitri Seval Samiti activist Sanjay Soni said he saw crocodiles sharing space peacefully. "They are not relaxed like when they are basking. They are alert and observing what is happening on the bank," he said. He added that the crocodiles at the spot did not seem to mind the presence of other crocodiles.
Another volunteer, Hemant Vadhwana, said crocodiles are territorial but the scale of work may have led to such behaviour. "The reason for this movement is not an intention to capture someone else's territory and they return within a day or two to their original spots. This is also not the mating season, when males are aggressive about their territories," he said.
Herpetologist and crocodile expert Raju Vyas said that if this was observed, studies were needed to get more understanding of the behaviour. "In the absence of such studies, it is difficult to reach a conclusion," he said. Vyas added that it might simply be a behaviour triggered by the large-scale work, which may have scared them much, like the manner in which humans come together in times of crisis.