Where crocodiles and communities coexist

A recent fatal crocodile attack in Odisha has reignited fears across the country. Back home in Karnataka, crocodiles are dreaded along the Krishna, Tungabhadra and Kali rivers, as they account for the third-highest number of human deaths caused by wildlife, after elephants and tigers.

In sharp contrast, in the Charotar region of central Gujarat, nearly 30 villages coexist with more than 350 mugger crocodiles. Located about 60 km from Ahmedabad, the region is dotted with 42 lakes that support one of India’s largest populations of freshwater crocodiles, without any official protected status.

Villagers here revere the crocodiles. Some communities worship them as manifestations of Khodiyar Mata, believed to be the guardian of water bodies. They protect their nesting grounds and perform rituals for dead crocodiles.  

“Our religious beliefs and understanding of these predators help us live in harmony with them,” says Vishal Mistry, a member of the community, and a Coexistence fellow at the University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bengaluru, studying human-crocodile relationships. The programme supports pairs of fellows, including a local community member, to foster equity and co-creation through interdisciplinary coursework, addressing complex socio-ecological issues to promote just and culturally grounded coexistence practices.

“Women wash clothes on lake banks, children play on the bunds and farmers bathe cattle in the same waters where the crocodiles swim, bask, and breed,” said Mistry. 

The Voluntary Nature Conservancy (VNC), a citizen-led forum, has been tracking crocodile numbers and raising awareness about the importance of the predators in these wetlands. Though the majority of villagers have been co-existing with these reptiles, the changing demography and urbanisation has meant that there is a constant need of creating awareness and protection of the crocodiles.

Symbiotic relationship

Gram panchayats have retained fishing rights on these water bodies and issue tenders for harvesting. The fish species are often introduced by the villagers themselves. Crocodiles thrive on this fish, creating a symbiotic relationship.  

Independent wildlife researcher Raju Vyas, who has studied crocodile populations in Vadodara, attributes this harmony to ecological awareness.  

“Conflict arises only when humans disrupt the animal’s habitat. Humans are not part of crocodiles prey base and a majority of human attacks by crocodiles are due to mistaken identity. Unlike in many places where humans have encroached upon the crocodiles' territory and depleted their food sources, in the Charotar region there is mutual understanding of the boundaries,” he says.      

However, the model is showing signs of strain. With a growing crocodile population and improved water connectivity through canals, some of these reptiles are venturing to non-traditional lakes and newer villages, areas where tolerance levels are noticeably lower.  

“Every month, we get at least one or two requests from new locations to relocate crocodiles,” said Vikram, Assistant Forest Officer at Vada village.

There have been instances of road kills and occasional unease in areas where people are not accustomed to sharing space with these reptiles, though no cases of poaching have been reported.   

In the last two decades, the region has witnessed two deaths and around ten injuries in crocodile attacks. For perspective, Karnataka has seen 18 deaths in crocodile attacks in the last four years.

Interestingly, villagers are opposing any move to declare the lakes as protected areas, fearing it would restrict access to water and impact daily livelihoods. “Instead of sanctuary or reserve status, the villagers have been demanding that the areas be recognised as community reserves so that both enjoy equal rights,” says Mistry.

“Protection status is not always a solution,” says Dr Vyas and adds these communities are doing what even protected areas struggle with, conservation through community effort. Imposing regulations may do more harm than good.”

At a time when human-wildlife conflict is rising across the country, Charotar’s story stands out as a compelling case study in sustainable coexistence.