DANDELI (UTTARA KANNADA) : After a video of a crocodile with her hatchlings in Dandeli town went viral a few days ago, people are thronging the banks of the Kali river near the government guesthouse here to get the pictures of the reptile and her young ones.
This has forced the forest department to impose restrictions on the people visiting the spot to ensure there is no disturbance to the crocodile and her hatchlings, and to avoid any attack by the reptile.
It all began with the crocodile laying 40 eggs in the thick vegetation near the guesthouse. The hatchlings are now moving around, attracting a large number of people.
“This happened only after a video was posted on social media by some locals. People are risking their lives to catch a glimpse of the crocodile and her young ones.
They must be careful as many attacks by crocodiles have been reported on the banks of the Kali,” said Akram, a social worker. Prashanth Kumar, DCF, Haliyal, said the forest department has sent a team to Dandeli to alert people about the presence of the crocodile and her hatchlings near the guesthouse. “Wild animals become aggressive when it comes to the safety and security of their young ones. We are very cautious about this,” he said.
“This is not one unique case. Many crocodile hatchlings have been reported on the banks of the Kali in the past. Probably, people were not aware of them,” Kumar said.