World's largest crocodile lives in Orissa

Moneycontrol.com ^ | June 16, 2006 | Moneycontrol.com

[Marius3188]

Thats alot of handbags.

"Baula Kumbhira (crazy crocodile)", if he's 23feet he can have any name he wants.

[goldstategop]

These are salt-water crocodiles. They're mean tempered... not friendly like American gators. Not at all.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[Paleo Conservative]

Too bad it's a salt water croc. I was hoping we could move it to the Rio Grande.

[CarrotAndStick]

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=298369&rel_no=1

World's Largest Reptile Found in India

Giant estuarine crocodile finds place in Guinness World Records

Image © 2006 wildlife directorate, Government of Orissa, India.

The largest reptile in the world is the estuarine crocodile housed in the Bhitarkanika Wild Life sanctuary in Orissa, India. At over seven meters long, the Saltwater crocodile has found a place in the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records.

The crocodile, which ranges throughout the tropical regions of the Asia-Pacific, occurs abundantly in vast delta regions and estuaries with deep continuous tidal forests.

All three species of crocodiles -- Gharial, Mugger and Saltwater -- in the river systems of Orissa were on the verge of extinction by the 1970s. The crocodiles were very few because of ever increasing human activity in the rivers and in their other traditional habitats.

As a result, in 1976, the state government launched the crocodile conservation program with funds and technical support from the UNDP and FAO through the Government of India, said principal chief wildlife warden Suresh Chandra Mohanty on June 12.

The Gharial and Saltwater crocodile conservation program preceded the Mugger conservation program. Orissa has the distinction of being home for all three species of Indian crocodiles, Mohanty added.

He said that the crocodile population is on the rise. There are 1462 Saltwater crocodiles in Bhitarkanika National Park, which is up from 1358 in 2004, according to the 2006 census.

"Crocodile conservation measures have paid off in Bhitarkanika and it is a great success story," Mohanty said.

Bhitarkanika, which has good mangrove cover and less human disturbances along with a large network of rivers and creeks, is home to 84 percent of the entire present crocodile population.

Thus, over 70 percent of all crocodiles are restricted into only a 30 percent area of the Khola-Brahmani river confluence of Bhitarkanika National Park, said Sudhakar Kar, project head of the crocodile conservation program.

Kar said that wildlife officials spotted well over 60 nests in the estuaries of Bhitarkanika during the census. There are crocodiles up to ten meters long in the sanctuary, added an official.

[CheyennePress]

Too bad it's a salt water croc. I was hoping we could move it to the Rio Grande

lol! Thanks for the laugh!

[HiTech RedNeck]

never smile at a crocodile

[HiTech RedNeck]

would it have trouble living in freshwater?

[Bobibutu]

"These are salt-water crocodiles."

Yes! When I worked in the Indonesian Oil Patch (Irian Jaya) we would water ski in the ocean on time off.

They - the Salt Water Crocks migrate from Austraila to Irian Jaya to breed.

It was not uncommon to pass one while skiing - 20 footers were not unusual - however we never stopped to measure them so they may have been only 19' or less - ah adrenaline rushes while just eyeballing their size at speed!

And yes - we skied very conservativly in their presence.

And when young we did crazy stuff ...

[TN4Liberty]

Krikey!

[Bobibutu]

"would it have trouble living in freshwater?"

They can and do migrate up the streams and rivers for a short time - but prefer the sea - I don't know if they could survive in freshwater for an extended period - their "fluid exchange systems" differ - one takes in more water than it expelles and the other vice versa - just like fish.

[LibWhacker]

These crocodiles can live up to 100 years...

They continue to grow throughout their lifetime. A 100-year-old saltwater crocodile could be humongous. Read an account once of a 33-footer (unauthenticated) spotted by westerners in Burma back in the 20s, IIRC. Another guy wanted to bring one back for authentication, but after shooting it it was too heavy to hoist into his boat. So he cut the head off and brought that back instead. It weighed 600lbs, more than a full-grown lion.

Apparently, they've learned to tip over small boats so they can get at the tasty little squealing morsels inside.

[Marysecretary]

Oh, yeah? Ever see the one in Lake Placid where the crazy lady feeds it cows? (grin)

[ChristianDefender]

if he's 23feet he can have any name he wants.

Ted Kennedy.. sarc/

We should move some of them in Gitmo... they can easily extract lots of datas faster than any supercomputer..

[Recovering_Democrat]

What a croc.

;-)

[Shimmer128]

That makes me feel slightly nauseated with fear just hearing about it!

[AirForceBrat23]

Betty White was most excellent in that role! Especially after seeing her do "please adopt a homeless pet" ads when I was younger...

[R.W.Ratikal]

Wrong! The world's largest croc lives in the Kennedy Compound in Massasschutes.

[Carolinamom]

It looks more like a short-legged dinosaur.

[Marysecretary]

I always liked her. She played 'dumb blonde' parts most of her career and did a good job at it. M