CROCODILE SANCTUARY OF ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

                                      Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary

Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary spreads over an area of 100 sq km and is situated north of Marine National Park, Wandoor in South Andaman Island.Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary Wildlife Sanctuaries in Andamans,Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary Wildlife Sanctuaries Andaman Islands,Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary The creeks inside the sanctuary are the excellent habitat of salt water crocodile.

Port Blair: Tthe crocodiles have taken over. Five salt-water crocodiles, which entered a remote village of south Andaman, 26 km from Port Blair, after it went under the sea, are attacking villagers.

The North Reef Island contained an extensive freshwater marsh until 1995, which has turned saline due to sea-water intrusion into the land from the south-western portion of the island. Although an abundance of crocodiles was reported, population estimates for the species could not be substantiated for these two island ecosystems.

Hunting of the species for the skin trade was reported to be rampant during the 1950s and 1960s, until enforcement of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972. Initial crocodile surveys to estimate the saltwater crocodile population for North Andaman Island began in 1975 (Whitaker & Whitaker, 1978).

The authors reported large scale hunting for the commercial skin trade, prior to 1972, as a major cause for the initial decline in crocodile numbers, in addition to the rapid encroachment of nesting habitats for agricultural practices, killing of nesting females and large scale egg collection by settlers.

Surveys conducted in 1993 and 1994 indicated a further decline due to the rapid increase and influx of immigrants and encroachment of flat wetland areas comprising ideal crocodile nesting habitat, intensive mechanized boat traffic and fishing in the creeks, which was taking its toll on the last remaining population (Andrews, 1994 & 1997)