Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoo celebrates World Crocodile Day

Nehru Zoological Park, is one of the zoological parks carrying out ex-situ conservation breeding to improve the wild population of crocodiles.

Hyderabad: The Nehru Zoological Park celebrated World Crocodile Day on Thursday to raise awareness about the need to save these endangered species from extinction.

Nehru Zoological Park, is one of the zoological parks carrying out ex-situ conservation breeding to improve the wild population of crocodiles. Due to natural surroundings, open moat enclosures, well formulated diet charts, experienced veterinary team, biologists, dedicated keepers and well supported administration, the zoo is successfully breeding several endangered species.

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Crocodile species comes under high protection category in the IUCN and IWPA, 1972. Nehru Zoological Park is currently home to four species of crocodiles namely — mugger crocodile (crocodylus palustris), saltwater crocodile (crocodylus porosus), gharial (gavialis gangeticus) and spectacled caiman.

Interestingly, the zoo has a long history in conservation of mugger population. During 1980s, the crocodile breeding station was established in the zoo to improve the mugger populations and successfully rehabilitate them into wild, a press release said.