Wednesday, June 27, 2007

(Trained) Croc Update

Crocs trained to hunt poachers - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "Indian authorities are releasing dozens of crocodiles bred in captivity to scare away poachers and protect their endangered counterparts.

They say illegal fishing in mangrove forests and habitat destruction in the states of Orissa and West Bengal, in eastern India, has led to a steep fall in crocodile numbers, from several thousand a century ago to less than 100 in the early 1970s.

But senior wildlife official and crocodile breeding expert Rathin Banerjee says the same reptiles are breeding rapidly in captivity. Orissa's Bhitarkanika sanctuary has more than 1,400 crocodiles.

'The swelling number of released crocodiles in the wild is working as a deterrent and keeping people away from the mangrove, as villagers are more cautious before venturing into the forests,' Mr Banerjee said."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

How do the crocs tell the difference between poachers and innocent lost tourists?

Unknown said...

These are highly intelligent crocs.