Counting Mugger Crocodiles in Charotar 2015 Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust

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1 Counting Mugger Crocodiles in Charotar 2015 Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust Voluntary Nature Conservancy

2 Counting Mugger Crocodiles in Charotar 2015 Report of a survey of the population of the Crocodile in Charotar Conducted by Voluntary Nature Conservancy, Vallabh Vidyanagar 10 th -11 th January 2015 Editors: Anirudh Vasava Raju Vyas Dhaval Patel VNC s Crocodile Conservation in Charotar project has been supported by Rufford Foundation Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust & Idea Wild Suggested Citation: Voluntary Nature Conservancy.(2015) Counting Mugger Crocodiles in Charotar A report prepared by Voluntary Nature Conservancy, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, page 9 Voluntary Nature Conservancy, 101/Radha Darshan, Behind Union Bank, Vallabh Vidyanagar , Gujarat, India.

3 So we did it together 131 Direct sightings 61 Participants 26 Villages WHAT IS A MUGGER CROCODILE? The Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) is one of the widely distributed crocodilian species in the world. This species is distributed fro Persia in West Asia, including Iran, Pakistan, in central Asia i.e. India and the eastwards up to Myanar (probably extinct), Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The ugger is the ost adapting species, found across various types of habitats ranging fro rivers to large lakes, sall puddles to village tanks and road side ditches. Mugger Crocodile is a threatened species in India and is legally protected as Schedule I species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act During the late sixties, the species depleted fro its entire distribution range due to illegal hunting, fishing and habitat loss which brought uggers at the edge of extinction. Afterwards the ugger population grew due to legal protection and success in ex situ progras, such as Indian Crocodile Conservation Project. It pulled back the once threatened crocodilians fro the brink of extinction and placed the on a good path of recovery. Muggers are a hole-nesting species. Egg-laying takes place during the annual dry season. Feales becoe sexually ature on achieving approxiately length, and lay eggs. Nests are located in a wide variety of habitats, and feales have even been known to nest at the opening of, or inside, their burrow. Incubation period is short, and hatchlings coe out after days of incubation, depending upon teperature. During breeding season, anials becoe aggressive, guard the nest and hatchlings, and attack the intruders too. Huan- crocodile conflicts are on rising in any Indian states, including Gujarat. During 2014, about 24 ugger attacks were noted in the State. This is the highest ever record in the species entire distribution range. Status: Indian Wildlife (Protections) Act-1972: Schedule I; CITES: Appendix I; listed as Vulnerable in IUCN Red list Threats: Habitat loss, destruction, alteration and fragentation, pollution and illegal hunting for skin. Mortality caused by increased fishing activities. Mugger Scenario in Country The ugger scenario in India is sound in coparison to the other two inhabitant crocodilian species - the saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) and Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus). Nonetheless, this species needs conservation support and protection easures. Mugger is coon in any parts of India and is reported fro over 12 states. Presently the ugger population is estiated over 4,500+ anials in the wild, excluding in captivity. The notable ugger population is recorded in Tail Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

4 Mugger Scenario in State Scenario of ugger in the state is safe and notable; ost of the ugger habitat is secure, saturated and growing well. The ugger population in the state is estiated to a total of 1653 ugger crocodiles with 429 uggers counted by direct sighting during the last state wide survey. Mugger was recorded in all parts of the state, including Kutch, Saurashtra and Central Gujarat. Notable ugger population was recorded at Kutch (Kachchh), Junagadh, Gir Sonath, Areli, Porbandar, Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Panchahal, Chhota Udaipur, Mahisagar, Bharuch, Narada and Janagar districts. Also uggers inhabit sall to large rivers of the state, including Rukavati, Khari, Tapi, Narada, Mahi, Vishwaitri and Shentrunji. VNC S OBJECTIVES One of the ain objectives of the VNC s (Voluntary Nature Conservancy) Project Crocodile Conservation in Charotar, is to create awareness aong the counities, both at local and state level, for the conservation of crocodiles in Charotar region. In Deceber 2013, VNC conducted its first volunteer based crocodile count in Charotar and enlisted volunteers across the state to onitor crocodiles. This volunteer participated progra was created by the VNC to gain a better understanding of how Charotar s crocodiles are distributed across the region and how populations ay be changing over tie using volunteers. This while helping the crocodile researchers to better understands crocodiles, their habitat selection and their responses to environental change, will also provide an opportunity to a city dwellers an onsite experience of observing crocodiles and contribute to science and conservation. The surveys have, so far, have been able to identify nearly 30 crocodile occupied sites in Charotar, which have been regularly onitored by VNC s crocodile research tea. This year the event was organised on 10 th - 11 th January 2015 under the guidance of Dr. Rajendra Vyas, an einent herpetologist of India and the coordination of Dhaval Patel, Managing Trustee of VNC. WHY DID WE COUNT CROCODILE? If you can count it, you can anage it Counting wildlife and being able to copare data between years can help with the early detection of probles. The inforation gathered guides our anageent initiatives and enables us to ake infored responses to developent activities. Even if it is an estiate, as long as it is done the sae way each tie, you can build up a picture or trend of what is happening to that species. So to help conserve this ajestic species, we should know how uch and where they are? HOW MANY OF US DID THIS? A total of 61` participants coing fro varied walks of occupation and life and fro different districts of Gujarat cae together to ake this event successful. Participants included school students, businessen, teachers, college students, lecturers, scientists, engineers and other NGO ebers WHERE DID WE COUNT? Charotar region consist parts of two districts naely Anand and Kheda. Charotar is located between the of Sabarati and Mahi river in central Gujarat, and is well known for its crops such as tobacco, pulses, rice and wheat. Large areas in this region are irrigated by Mahi Irrigation Project, and therefore ost of the water bodies are interlinked/ connected by an intensive irrigation canal network. This network of canals acts as the dispersal route for the crocodiles. In Gujarati, the word "Charutar" eans a pot full of gold. This was supposedly coined because of the agricultural fertility of the area. Because of the unique ixture of landscape feature, this region also harbours one of the highest densities of sarus crane (Grus antigone) in the state. Although Anand and Kheda district do not have significant forest areas, this areas has the highest density of trees, and they are considered green bowl of Gujarat.

5 Fig.1. Location ap of Charotar region, Gujarat. HOW DID WE COUNT? VNC used an approach called Citizen Science to count the crocodiles in Charotar. Citizen Science is an exciting, ultifaceted way to bring people fro all walks of life, whether a scientist or a businessan, together for conservation. It is where the public volunteers tie to assist scientists in their research. In other word, citizens becoe citizentists (citizen+scientists). Citizen-science participants are a kind of large research tea, gathering data on a scale that would be hard to achieve otherwise. For crocodile counts, a tea of 2-7 volunteer, depending on the size of the aquatic body to be surveyed, is allocated to various villages. All volunteers count the crocodiles in their assigned places sector on the sae day and between the sae tie periods (10:00 to 16:00). These surveys are the priary ethod we use for onitoring trends in the crocodiles in Charotar. Last year a total of 98 crocodiles were recorded fro 14 villages in the Deceber of HOW MUCH DID WE COUNT? VNC s intensive survey indicates that nearly ugger crocodile survive in the wetlands of Charotar. Feeding that figure into national ugger crocodile population indicated that Charotar contributes significantly towards the national population. This akes Charotar iportant for their welfare. This tie, during the two day counting on 11 th -10 th Jan 2015, crocodile count data were reported fro 26 sites, tallying at 131 direct sightings of crocodiles. Of those, ost of the crocodile sightings cae fro 15 sites, with nearly half the population (59/131) reported fro Deva village alone. 15 and 13 individuals were recorded fro Malataj and Marala-Naghraa villages respectively. At least 2 crocodiles were counted in Dabhou, Maghrol, Maliyataj, Nandoli, Pij & Sojitra. Whereas only 1 crocodile was recorded in Bhadkad, Changa, Gangapur & Machhiel. Aong the 131 recorded, 90 were observed basking and rest 41 were observed

6 swiing. The total of 131 crocodiles ight see like an ipressive total, but it is only through the long ter onitoring that would show us whether that this species is in a significant decline or is increasing. Deva Malataj Marala - Heranj Traj Vaso Laval Sojitra Pij Nandoli Maliyataj Maghrol Dabhou Macchiyel Gangapur Changa Bhadkad Virol Vasai Tranja Petli Ladkui Khandhali Kathoda Devataj Dali 0 Crocodiles sighted during Jan 2015 survey Direct sightings of Crocodiles A coparision between the Dec 2013 & Jan 2015 Survey Changa Maliyataj Tranja Kathoda Sojitra Vaso Traj Matrala- Macchiyel Laval Pij Maliyataj Bhadkad Dabhou Malataj heranj Petli Deva 0 January (2015) Direct Sightings of Crocodiles

7 WAY FORWARD AND SOME THOUGHTS This survey isn't conclusive. An intensive and long ter onitoring is necessary to coe to soe conclusion. So what's needed next? Clearly, we need inforation fro systeatic field surveys; but in the eantie, a very close watch on crocodiles is required in their areas. This is where the inforation fro nature enthusiasts/citizentists of all stripes can be incredibly useful! This way we work together to build long-ter inforation about crocodiles. We all need to work together to keep this species surviving in these areas. Spreading awareness to keep this anial safe would be the next actions we should be practising. Also, we need to reach out to newer counities of people to participate in this initiative so that they too experience the beauty of this ancient, prehistoric and ajestic creature and ultiately contribute to protect this species. THIS EVENT WAS A SUCCESS DUE TO PEOPLE MENTIONED BELOW! Ajay Mahida Dhaval Patel dsp@vncindia.org Rajendra Vyas (PhD) razoovyas@hotail.co Rajiv Bhatti (PhD) Mayur Joshi ayur13joshi@yahoo.co.in Megha Patel eghapatel153@gail.co Mehul A Patel ehul@vncindia.org Alap Bhatt alapbhatt10@gail.co Altaf Pathan altafkhanpathan21@gail.c o Anirudh Vasava Het Patel Mehul Patel aniruddh@vncindia.org hetdixit@gail.co iatshadows@yahoo.co.in ApurvMahida Hiren Chovatiya Mohit Patel skb2166@gail.co ArjunVithlani arjun.vithlani@yahoo.co.in Arzu Rupareliya arzur60@gail.co Bhargav Patel skb @gail.co Hiren Ganatra Ishani Dave Ishani3193@gail.co Jay Suthar MohitRathod ohitrathod1995@gail.co Mukul Kantharia y_kant@yahoo.co Neel Talati neel7007@gail.co Bhautik Saravada Jilesh Patel Neera jparar neeraj@vncindia.org Brinky Desai desaibrinky1@gail.co Daini Patel Darshak Patel ehtadrashti.96@gail.co Devvrat Bhatt Dharesh Parar Dilip Mavadia dilipavadia@gail.co Kalp Thakker Kalesh Parekh i_say10@yail.co Kaushik Chauhan kesh25biglion@gail.co Koal Jayswal kdjayswal16@gail.co Maitry Jani aitryjani3010@gail.co Mansi Patel Dhaval Mehta dehta@vncindia.org Nikhil Parekh nikhilparekh2397@gail.co Nirali Patel Niyati Patel niyati@vncindia.org O Patel dhaval143@yahoo.co Prathesh Patel prathesh@vncindia.org Pratik Jain pratikppf@gail.co Priti Patel pritkpatel1314@gail.co Raj Patel patelraj161@gail.co Rakesh Vadhavana Sathya Narayanan R sathya20391@gail.co Shrusti Patel srushtipatel_1315@yahoo.in Shrust irajyaguru srushtirajyaguru@yahoo.c o Siddharth Parar sid.croc313@gail.co Siona Agrawal Suer Pankaj suerpankaj9444@gail. co Urvi Dave urvi.dave3011@gail.co Vijay Dabhi Viral Vadodariya vadodariyaviral@yail.co Vishal Mistry vistry@vncindia.org Vishal Thakkar v2wild@yahoo.co Yogendra Vala

8 Pictures of events and activities

9 A group pictures of participates Thank you so uch to everyone involved. We couldn t have done it without you & we are indebted to you for your unfailing help! Do write in and tell us what you think at info@vncindia.org. The tables and graphs presented here are based on analyses of preliinary survey conducted in two days (10 th & 11 th January 2015), which has not been cross-checked for exact population data. Please send your coents, questions or suggestions to VNC s Crocodile Research & Conservation Tea (Anirudh Vasava, Mehul Patel, & Dhaval Patel) at info@vncindia.org, or call at Voluntary Nature Conservancy, 101/Radha Darshan, Behind Union Bank, Vallabh Vidyanagar , Gujarat, India Join