Crocodile spotted in nullah, forest dept team on its trail

Nagpur: Just months after the forest department spent several days tracking down a leopard allegedly sighted in the city, now they have their hands full with confirmed presence of a crocodile in a city nullah.
The crocodile was basking in the sun in the nullah behind Patrakar Colony near Bole Petrol Pump when people recorded videos and clicked photos.
Kundan Hate, honorary wildlife warden, said, “This is the third time we have received a call about this, and the crocodile has been spotted in the same area. The nullah has a lot of water and the crocodile is getting ample food it seems. It looks to be around 5 years old.”
Forest officials have deployed a team to track and capture the crocodile, but it’s not going to be so easy. Hate said, “We are going there again on Tuesday and will have to tread carefully. If it is inside water, then catching the crocodile will be very difficult because that’s her domain. Like tiger in a jungle, crocodile rules the water. We have even informed NMC to not allow any staff to go for cleaning work in that particular patch.”
But where did this crocodile come from? Hate says it’s speculation at best, but Lower Pench could be the origin. “There are crocodiles in Pench river from where it might have entered Lower Pench. From there it may have come through the water pipelines to Gorewada and then through waste discharge to the nullah. If it keeps moving, then the crocodile will end up in Nag river near Pardi,” said Hate.