Ex-Situ conservation - 1
Crocodile Breeding in Indian Zoos
BC Choudhury

In the last decade, the Indian zoological parks have been successfully breeding crocodiles. From a mere six zoos in 1980 breeding only the mugger crocodile (Bustard, 1980), today there are over 32 zoological parks in the country breeding all three Indian crocodilians species.

What has led to this success? Perhaps, a focused effort, a specialized know-how and creation of ideal conditions and facilities for captive breeding.

 Review of Early Success

Mugger crocodile was successfully bred in captivity for the first time in 1960 in Ahmedabad and Jaipur zoos _ the former under the able supervision of Padamshri Reuben David and the latter under the guidance and care of RN Yadav (International Zoo Yearbook, 1961).

With the exception of a solitary record of mugger breeding in the Baroda zoo in 1964, then in the private collection of Maharaja Gaekwad of Baroda, until 1976 Ahmedabad and Jaipur zoos were the only two zoos in the country to breed mugger. In 1975, the Government of India, in collaboration with UNDP and FAO launched the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project. Benefiting from the technical expertise provided under this project, in 1976 the Delhi Zoological Park and the Madras Crocodile Bank were also successful in breeding mugger in captivity.

Technical personnel _ trained specifically in crocodile breeding and management put in their skills into breeding crocodilians in captivity. And the decades since the launching of the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project, from 1975 to 1995, has seen a steady introduction and spread of captive reared Indian crocodilians into the various zoological parks around the country. Figure 12 and Box (on pgs 102-103) indicate the zoological parks in India breeding different species of crocodilians.

 Breeding Gharial in Captivity

In the year 1980, the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) bred in captivity for the first time at the Nandan Kanan Biological Park in Orissa (Bustard 1980). This successful effort involved the collaboration and co-ordination between international and national zoological parks. The male came from the Frankfurt zoo and the females were from the Nandan Kanan and Trivandrum zoos.

A large part of the credit for this first time ex-situ breeding in captivity goes to the meticulous planning and designing of the breeding enclosure at the Nandan Kanan zoo by HR Bustard, which simulates the gharial's natural habitat of a deep flowing river with adequate high-rise sandbanks. The breeding enclosure, together with a judicious mix of adult size classes to from a social group, minimal disturbance and provision of natural food culminated in that success story, which continues to the present date. The Nandan Kanan ziological park has since provided many zoos around the world with captive bred gharial for display and education.

The Nandan Kanan was followed by Kukrail Endangered Species Breeding Centre in Lucknow and soon Madras Crocodile Bank, Mysore zoo and Jaipur zoo also joined the select group of zoological parks in India in breeding the gharial. Many other zoological parks may also have followed suit but for the lack of suitable adult males, which seems to be a major drawback.

 Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile

Prior to the 1970s, the aggressive and territorial saltwater crocodile had been breeding in many locations in the other countries. In India, Nandan Kanan zoo, Vishakhapatnam zoo and the Madras Crocodile Bank were the first to breed this crocodilian sub-species in captivity under simulated natural habitat conditions. The Vishakhapatnam Zoo in Andhra Pradesh went to the extent of even simulating water-level fluctuations similar to tidal mangroves. Today this hardy species breeds in six zoological parks in the country. Although many other zoological parks are not so keen to breed the species because of its aggressive and territorial nature, given some additional care and co-ordinated effort, saltwater crocodile could be bred in at least another ten zoological parks.

 Breeding of Mugger

As many as 32 zoological parks and almost all crocodile rearing centres are now breeding mugger in captivity. This widespread and adaptable species has responded very well to even the smallest of attention that has been provided to it. However, today, many of the zoological parks do not want to breed the species any more due to lack of holding space and inadequate barter value. Nevertheless, by the end of the century, the list of zoos breeding mugger will only rise.

 Factors that Made it Happen

What were the factors that contributed to this crocodile breeding success story? In a nutshell, they can be identified as :

(i) Simulated physical features in breeding pools.

(ii) Good nesting habitat and material. 
 

Figure 12 - Zoological parks in India breeding Indian crocodilians

(See Box on next page for names)

(iii) Social grouping of breeding stock with proper sex ratios.

(iv) Good natural diet.

(v) Proper care of eggs and hatchlings.

(vi) Minimising disturbance and vandalism, through education.

(vii) Some amount of co-ordination.

 References

Bustard, HR (1980) - Captive breeding of crocodiles. The Care and Breeding of Captive Reptiles. Eds S Townson, NJ Millichamp. DGD Lucas and AJ Millwood. British Herpetological Society.

INTERNATIONAL ZOO YEAR-BOOK, Vols 1-27.