Experts call for crocodile tourism to be developed
The group wrote to the Gujarat principal chief conservator of forests, proposing crocodile tourism or crocodile watching sites at six places that have a healthy population of the reptiles.
"Like the Project Lion, crocodile conservation in the state has been very successful. We now have a good number of them in various water bodies. It is time they are included in the wildlife tourism sector," said Prof B C Choudhari, a retired scientist of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
"The winter is the prime season and provides the perfect opportunity to watch crocodiles basking near various water bodies. Birdwatching too can be encouraged at these spots," Choudhari, who was involved in the 1975 crocodile project, added.
Among others, the spots proposed for crocodile tourism are Charotar, the Vishwamitri in Vadodara, Pragsar Lake in Kutch, Lal Dhori in Junagadh, Kamleshwar Lake in the Gir forest and Gulab Sagar in Barda.
"Each of these sites has dozens of crocodiles and good spots from where people can watch them. This will also raise awareness about the importance of crocodiles in our ecosystem. Local communities too should be involved in it," said Raju Vyas, the India regional vice-chair and member of the species survival commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
"Gujarat is the only state where crocodiles are worshipped, as the vehicles of Ma Khodiyar and Ma Narmada, reflecting our cultural heritage," Vyas, a crocodile expert, added.
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