Freshwater croc caught in Padma
The species believed extinct in Bangladesh
A freshwater crocodile was caught from the Padma river at Beelmaria area in Natore's Lalpur upazila yesterday morning.
According to wildlife experts, this species of reptile have already become extinct in Bangladesh.
Police and locals said fisherman Fazer Ali and his son were fishing with nets in the Padma around 10:00am when they caught the 5-foot-long crocodile. They recovered the animal and informed the local administration about the matter.
Being informed, Assistant Commissioner (land) Abu Tahir, Upazila Livestock Officer Mostafizur Rahman and Lalpur Police Station's Officer-In-Charge Abu Obayed rushed to the spot and released the crocodile in a pond in Beelmaria village.
Abul Kalam, divisional forest officer (DFO), Rajshahi, said this was a freshwater crocodile. It might have come from India, as the sluice gates of the Farakka Barrage were opened this year. Freshwater crocodiles existed in the Padma a long time ago.
“The crocodile would be released in the river again. We have already urged fishermen and locals not to kill such creatures.”
Contacted, reptile expert SM Rashid echoed DFO Abul Kalam. He said this reptile species had already become extinct in the country. A few of them could be found in India.
“It can be assumed that it has come from India,” Rashid, executive director of Centre for Advanced Research in Natural Resources and Management (CARINAM), added.