Declared extinct, freshwater crocodile sighted in Padma in Rajshahi
A freshwater crocodile, declared extinct in Bangladesh by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2000, has been sighted in the Padma River in Rajshahi.
Wildlife photographer and rescue worker couple Imrul Kayes and Umme Khadija Eva spotted the crocodile on Thursday (16 October) while photographing birds in the Char Majhardia area.
Imrul told The Business Standard that around 12 noon that day, they received a call from the Wildlife Conservation Department informing them about the possible sighting of a crocodile in the Padma.
"We immediately went in search of it. A local shepherd said he had seen a crocodile in a small creek, but we could not locate it there and decided to return," he said.
Before leaving, Imrul flew a drone to survey the area.
"While checking between the Kans grass, I noticed a triangular object in the water. As we moved closer, it became clear it was a crocodile. My wife took photos with a camera while I captured video and drone shots," he said.
The crocodile was seen about 450 metres inside Bangladesh territory, near a triangular section of the Padma that extends into India, where the water is deeper.
Imrul believes the animal's habitat lies in that area and that it may have crossed into Bangladesh from there.
"Wildlife has no boundaries. For instance, wild pigs are not seen on the Padma sandbanks but can be found across the border in India," he added.
The couple plans to revisit the site next week for further observation.
Jahangir Kabir, inspector at the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department, said the freshwater crocodile was declared extinct in Bangladesh in 2000.
"However, in recent years, sightings of juvenile freshwater crocodiles have been reported in Rajshahi's Charghat, Pabna, and Chapainawabganj. The one seen on Thursday was an adult," he said.
He added that the crocodile might have come from India or could indicate that the species is returning to the region.
ABM Sarwar Alam, chief researcher of IUCN Bangladesh, said that since the extinction declaration, one freshwater crocodile had been sighted in Pabna and two others elsewhere.
These were later taken to the Karamjal Wildlife Centre in the Sundarbans.
He noted that the recently sighted crocodile did not originate in Bangladesh's natural environment.
"It may have come from India's Chambal River," he said, adding that Bangladesh hosts three crocodile species: the saltwater crocodile of the Sundarbans, the extinct freshwater crocodile, and the gharial found in the Padma and Jamuna rivers.