Two big crocodiles found dead in Vishwamitri River

Vadodara: Two adult crocodiles were found dead in the Vishwamitri River on Thursday, sparking concerns among environmentalists about the safety of the river's aquatic life.
The bodies of both crocodiles were found floating in the river by local residents, who immediately informed the forest department and volunteers from the Wildlife Rescue Trust (WRT).
Over the past two months, four crocodiles have been found dead in the river, intensifying worries about the wellbeing of the reptiles. "I received a call about a 10-foot-long crocodile's body floating near Kirti Mandir. As I was attempting to retrieve the body with the forest department team, I received another call about a second dead crocodile in the river," said Arvind Pawar, president of WRT.
The second crocodile, measuring 11 foot, was found near the Khaswadi crematorium. Pawar said this crocodile had shown signs of illness, and he had reported it to the forest department three days earlier. "Despite the warning, no action was taken, and it seems to have died due to the illness," he added. However, he emphasized that the final cause of death would be determined by the post-mortem reports.
Sources from the forest department said the postmortems had been conducted on both crocodiles, and the reports are awaited.
The recent deaths have raised alarm as the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) plans to begin de-silting work in the river, which may disturb the habitat of nearly 300 crocodiles residing within the city limits. The VMC has devised plans to ensure the safety of the crocodiles and is awaiting approval from the forest department to proceed with the work.
In Dec last year, a 10-foot-long crocodile was found dead in the Sama area, with the forest department attributing its death to injuries sustained during a territorial fight. Just days before that, another crocodile's body was found in the river near Sayajigunj, with its legs reportedly tied.