Saltwater Crocodile Conservation in Sundarbans Introduction 

• • The recent survey of saltwater crocodiles by State’s Forest Department in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve marks a significant step forward in India’s conservation efforts. 

• According to the report ‘Population Assessment and Habitat Ecology Study of Saltwater Crocodiles in Sundarbans 2025’, the estimated population of these reptiles has shown an increase compared to 2024.

Saltwater Crocodiles and Their Role in Mangrove Ecosystem Health and Resilience

• Contribution to Ecosystem Resilience: A stable age structure in crocodile populations adds to the long-term resilience of mangroves. By maintaining predator-prey dynamics, reducing carrion buildup, and adapting to salinity shifts, crocodiles help mangrove ecosystems withstand environmental stressors, ranging from climate shocks to anthropogenic disturbances.

• Ensuring Food Web Stability: The presence of a stable crocodile population signals the existence of a healthy, functioning food chain in the mangroves. Despite immense pressures from habitat loss, overfishing, and climate-induced salinity changes, saltwater crocodiles demonstrate the persistence of top-down ecological regulation, keeping the food web intact.

• Conservation Lessons from Bhagabatpur: The Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project in West Bengal has shown how captive breeding and release programs can revive crocodile populations in degraded mangroves. The success of this project proves that crocodile abundance is a reliable marker of ecosystem quality, as these reptiles require relatively undisturbed habitats and adequate prey availability to thrive.

• Regulating Prey Populations: As hypercarnivorous apex predators, saltwater crocodiles regulate fish, crustacean, and mammal populations within mangroves. This control prevents overpopulation of any single species, ensuring a balanced food web. By suppressing mesopredators and herbivore pressures, crocodiles indirectly support the survival of mangrove seedlings and saplings, which strengthens overall vegetation cover.

• Natural Sanitation of Waterways: Crocodiles also act as efficient scavengers, feeding on carcasses left in estuarine creeks and tidal channels. This natural removal of organic waste prevents water contamination, reduces the risk of disease spread, and maintains the overall cleanliness of the mangrove system. Their scavenging role mirrors the ecological function of vultures in terrestrial ecosystems.

• Salinity Tolerance and Climate Resilience: Saltwater crocodiles tolerate a wide range of salinity levels, from freshwater creeks to highly saline tidal zones. In the Sundarbans, where sea-level rise and climate change are increasing salinity intrusion, their adaptability allows them to persist where other species decline. This resilience strengthens the ecological fabric of mangrove wetlands by ensuring continued apex predator presence.

Lessons for India’s Wildlife Conservation Strategy

• Moving Beyond Charismatic Megafauna: Traditionally, Indian wildlife conservation has been driven by public fascination with tigers, elephants, and lions. The saltwater crocodile story shows that the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, coupled with systematic interventions, can safeguard species that do not capture the same level of public imagination. This broadens the narrative of conservation from mere symbolism to ecological inclusiveness.

• Legal Framework and Institutional Backing: The combination of blanket legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act and institutional support from state forest departments proved decisive. This demonstrates that legal safeguards, when backed by consistent policy enforcement and scientific expertise, are effective even for species without economic or cultural appeal.

• • Habitat Quality and Breeding Success:  The steady recovery of crocodiles also indicates that breeding habitats retain ecological quality, despite pressures from coastal settlement expansion, industrial activity, and sea-level rise in the Sundarbans. Increased juvenile survival rates suggest that conservation efforts are not only protecting the species but also preserving critical ecosystem services in mangrove habitats.

• Success of Targeted Interventions: The Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project in West Bengal and similar initiatives in Odisha highlight the power of site-specific captive breeding and release programs. These targeted interventions, combined with continuous monitoring, created viable wild populations where numbers had once dwindled due to hunting, habitat loss, and cyclones. The lesson: conservation need not always be about sweeping reforms; carefully designed localised projects can be equally effective.

• Investment Over Popular Appeal: Unlike flagship species that attract significant media and donor attention, the saltwater crocodile’s recovery occurred largely through sustained investment by conservation agencies, without major public campaigns or tourism incentives. This proves that political will, long-term funding, and scientific planning can achieve results even when species are not “popular” among the public

Way Forward

• Broadening the Conservation Vision: One of the major lessons from crocodile recovery is the need to move beyond charismatic megafauna. While tigers and elephants dominate public campaigns, smaller or less celebrated species—frogs, fish, reptiles, and pollinators—are equally vital for ecological balance. Adopting an inclusive conservation vision ensures that funding and policy attention are distributed across a wider spectrum of biodiversity.

• Systematic Expansion of Conservation Programs: The Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project illustrates how targeted investment, breeding programs, and scientific interventions can bring results. A similar systematic expansion—with species-specific programs, sustained funding, and strong institutional oversight—can be replicated for other neglected species. This approach ensures that conservation is not opportunistic but a long-term structured commitment.

• Proactive Conservation Planning: India’s Wildlife Protection Act (1972) provides legal backing, but implementation often remains reactive, triggered by crisis situations. The crocodile model shows the value of well-funded recovery plans designed in advance, supported by structured communication strategies that highlight the ecological importance of lesser-known species. Proactive recovery planning helps prevent species decline before it becomes irreversible.

• Building Ecosystem Resilience: Crocodile population recovery has had spillover benefits by stabilizing mangrove ecosystems. A healthy age structure in crocodile populations enhances ecological balance, strengthening the Sundarbans against cyclones, salinity increases, and rising sea levels. This proves that species-specific conservation can contribute to ecosystem-wide resilience, an essential strategy in confronting climate change.

• Integrating Climate Change into Conservation: The success of crocodile conservation underlines the need to anticipate climate-driven threats. Measures such as identifying climate refugia (safe habitats where vulnerable species can persist) and enabling assisted breeding or relocation can safeguard species from rising sea levels, erratic rainfall, and habitat loss. Incorporating climate models into wildlife strategies ensures that conservation planning is not only about today but also about resilience for the future.