There are more stories to share from those early croc days.

Baby Crocodiles

Once Solomon Pushparaj, the late, great Irula snakeman Chockalingam and I went on a croc survey on the Lower Moyar River in the Nilgiris foothills. We located a whole gang of hatchling muggers in a deep stagnant pool. They were all grouped together but would disappear underwater as soon as we approached - so we waited till nightfall.

Using small torches clamped precariously between our teeth (the forerunner of the headlamp), we slipped into the fetid water and swam towards the little group of tiny red eye shines. We had my lungi stretched between us like a fishing net and now we slipped it slowly and gently under the bobbing babies and simply scooped up all 16 of them.

We got out of the water fast because even though we hadn't seen mamma croc, we knew she had a tunnel nearby. This little bunch of chirping babies grew into the Croc Bank’s breeders who eventually produced thousands of offspring.

Scary Times

Scary times with crocs? Yeah, well there have been a few. One late night, a bunch of us "nest robbers" were checking the crocs at Kilikudi, a pool near the Cauvery River not far from the bustling town of Tiruchirapalli. I made a few baby croc alarm squawks and we spotted two red eyes glowing in the water a few metres away. Just then we heard a pounding sound behind us as a big adult mugger came charging out of the bushes toward us. We didn't wait around but scattered like a bunch of scared mice as the heavy croc went right by, full tilt, and landed in the water with a mighty splash.

Another time, a very dry and hot May at Hiran Lake in the Gir Lion Sanctuary in Gujarat, I was counting crocs and looking at all the tunnels they had made to survive the drought. One big tunnel was right at the top of a tall, steep embankment. Approaching from the top, I lay down on my belly and lowered myself over the edge. I peered into the tunnel and there, inches from my face was the toothy grin of a nice big mugger - SURPRISE! The mugger let out a low, serious growl and I jumped up like a jackrabbit. Jeevan Nana, my Maldhari guide muttered something that sounded like the Gujarati equivalent of "What a nutcase!"