Heavy monsoon rain pushed crocodiles close to shore at Mumbai's Powai Lake. One reptile turned up beside a Muslim shrine, causing panic among residents before rescuers carried it off.
What happened?
Residents in the Morarji Nagar area reported a crocodile beside a dargah at the edge of Powai Lake on Tuesday, prompting the rescue of the seven-foot animal, according to Republic World.
Trained rescuers and forest department personnel isolated the site and removed the crocodile without injuring it. Officials said they moved the reptile to a secure location. Early assessments found its condition was stable.
Powai Lake is human-made, and its resident reptiles are Indian marsh crocodiles, better known as muggers. Its water level has climbed with the monsoon rain. Officials said wet season conditions can bring the reptiles close to the shoreline as they look for food or shelter.
Clips posted to social media showed people crowding a walkway that rings the lake, phones raised, hoping a crocodile would surface, Republic World reported. An earlier count by the city put the lake's crocodile population at 18 or more.
A red alert for heavy rain covered Mumbai on Monday, and officials asked people to remain inside and steer clear of water. Residents showed up at the lake anyway.
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Why does it matter?
Powai Lake is surrounded by urban development, and as people build, travel, and gather near wildlife habitat, the buffer between animals and humans shrinks. Monsoon flooding may bring crocodiles ashore, and crowds gathering to watch them can stress the animals and create danger for bystanders.
Heavy downpours can also increase the overlap between crocodile habitat and city life. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which can load a rainy season with intense bursts of rain.
Wild animals that feel cornered or cut off from retreat may behave unpredictably. In many human-wildlife conflicts, the animal is responding to pressure in a place humans have reshaped.
Crocodiles wind up in human spaces elsewhere for the same reason. Fire crews in Malaysia pulled a 10-foot croc from a storm drain beside a gas station in June, and in Mexico, a crocodile killed a man on a resort beach that backs onto coastal lagoons.
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What's being done?
Officials secured the location and pushed onlookers back before removing the crocodile. They planned to release it into the wild once the checkup was finished.
"During this operation, special care was taken to ensure that the crocodile did not suffer any harm and that there was no threat to the safety of the people present nearby," forest department officials said, per Republic World.
If you see a crocodile, don't panic or move closer for a photo. Report the sighting right away.
During heavy rain, stay off walkways near bodies of water and away from flooded ground. Getting close to a wild animal, provoking it, or trying to capture it can put you and the animal in danger. Rescue crews stay on call, and a quick report can help them reach the animal before anyone gets hurt.
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