7-foot-long croc rescued from Firozabad village

The crocodile was finally lured into a trap cage and was released near Jasrana in a suitable habitat.

AGRA A seven-foot-long mugger was rescued by the Wildlife SOS and the forest department after it was found wandering in the Nagla Amaan village of Firozabad district. After a four-hour-long rescue mission, the reptile was successfully released back into the wild.

A four-member team from the NGO travelled nearly 120 km in the night to reach the location. (HT Photo)

The sighting of the reptile late on Friday night triggered panic among the residents of Nagla Amaan village. Soon after they called the forest department for help, the officials alerted Wildlife SOS for assistance in the rescue operation.

A four-member team from the NGO travelled nearly 120 km in the night to reach the location. Upon arrival, the rescue team prepared itself with the necessary gear while the forest officers managed the crowd gathered there. The crocodile was finally lured into a trap cage and was released near Jasrana in a suitable habitat.

Surendra Kumar Saswat, range forest officer of Jasrana, said, “We reached the spot immediately after getting the information of the sighting with a team of six officials. We also informed the Wildlife SOS. After the rescue operation was complete, we released the crocodile in a nearby water body that has a flourishing population of the reptile.”

Baiju Raj MV, director, conservation projects, Wildlife SOS, said, “Operations like this can be quite nerve-racking as extreme caution needs to be exercised while approaching such a large and powerful reptile. Our team handled the situation well as it is highly experienced from conducting several crocodile rescue operations in the past.”