Officials observe crocodile living in sewer water in Solapur, Maharashtra. Rescue it

The rescue operation was carried out by forest department staff and a Pune-based NGO.

A 5-year-old male crocodile was rescued from a sewerage-fed waterbody on the outskirts of Solapur on Tuesday, several weeks after the forest department was alerted to its presence by local residents and operations to coax it out began, an official said.

The animal is now under medical observation (representational image). (HT file photo)

The rescue operation by forest department staff and a Pune-based NGO took place in Degaon, some 250 kilometres from here, said Irshad Shaikh, Range Forest Officer, Solapur.

“The 1.85-metre long crocodile was in the waterbody, which is made up sewerage coming from Solapur city, for the past three months. After residents alerted us, we observed the movement of the animal for one-and-half months and set up three cages with meat as bait,” he said.

“It was important that we rescue it quickly as the water is contaminated and could harm the animal. Today, members of RESQ, an animal welfare outfit from Pune, and forest staff rescued the crocodile after it entered one of the cages. It is under medical observation,” the official added.