India's largest croc bank to get four more crocodiles

The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (MCBT), located on the East Coast Road, will receive the new reptiles "by end of September or beginning October 2011," its Director, Colin James Stevenson, said.

The four new species Cuban Crocodile, Black Caiman, Smooth Fronted Caiman and Broad Snouted Caiman will arrive from a zoo in the Czech Republic, he said.

"We will send (to the Czech zoo) some gharials and some other crocs for them to promote gharial conservation there," Stevenson said.

Like on other species, the MCBT is also planning several research studies on the new species, Stevenson said, adding that the keepers are already being trained for the new arrivals.

The crocodile bank also has regular feeding sessions every Sunday at 11.30 am, 12.30 pm, 4 pm and 5pm to encourage visitors to develop interest and share knowledge about these reptiles, he said.

These species will be an addition to MCBT's collection 14 of the total 23 crocodile species living across the world including salt water crocodile, ghariyals, American Alligator, Nile Crocodile and several others. It is the only bank in India to house the maximum number of crocodile species.