Team Mangalorean - Puttur
from Vishal Nekkilady
Photo - Suddi pics

Puttur: Crocodiles are a rare and endangered species now. Presence of these reptiles in plenty in Dakshina Kannada in the olden times is said to have resulted many places getting named after them. The Sanskrit name 'makara' has obviously given rise to 'mogar' or 'muger' in Tulu and hence it is thought that river basins like Mogarnad and Mogarpane were named after crocodiles.

When a rare visitor appeared in Mardhala on the outskirts of Kadaba town in the taluk on Saturday, June 30, the residents and passers-by were in for a shock, since there were no water bodies nor ponds or rivers nearby.

A five-foot-long injured crocodile was found crawling near the milk cooperative society at Mardhala and those who had come to supply milk were stricken by scare. The only piece of consolation was that although it can harm humans, its movement was slow.

It had an injury in the head and was in pain. The people around did not know what to do about it. Someone had tied its pout with a cloth so that it would not harm the people around. When the forest department officials were informed, they reportedly said there was not much they could do about it and suggested the public to release into a river.

Although the people around were annoyed with the negligent attitude of the officials, they finally decided to do a kind deed and release it into a river nearby. There was not much water level in the river at Kallaje or Bajakere. Ultimately, it was left to fend for itself in freedom in the Hosmath river.

The question remained as to how it landed in Mardhala, which kept the townfolk occupied with guesses. Explanations like someone having kept it as a pet at home or pond finding it economically not viable, or its having strayed into the main road and been injured by a passing vehicle and such other guesses were in circulation.