India GOReptile · Crocodylus palustris
Mugger crocodile
IUCN VU · VulnerableProtected under Indian law · I
The broad-snouted freshwater crocodile of the Indian subcontinent, up to about four metres.
👀 How to recognise it
Look along the rock edges and reed banks for what seems to be a log with a line of teeth showing along the jaw. They bask in the morning and slide off as the day heats.
Protection
Schedule I, Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972
Where to see it
Mysore
Ranganathittu holds one of the largest mugger concentrations in Karnataka. Mugger and the fish-eating gharial are different animals: the gharial has a long thin snout and does not occur here. Boatmen keep the correct distance for a reason, and standing up in the boat is not allowed.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary