The lurking danger
The ranganthittu bird sanctuary is a cluster of islands and one large island in a crocodile infested part of the Kaveri river. It is because of the crocodiles that the birds thrive, as they are the guardians of the island which is so precious for the birds to nest on. The treat of the crocodiles is far less than the threat of the other predators that the crocodiles scare off (eat). Symbioses.
The mugger crocodile, also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, marsh crocodile or simply mugger, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries. It is one of the three crocodilians found in India, the others being the gharial and the saltwater crocodile. It is a medium sized crocodile that mostly inhabits freshwater lakes, ponds, sluggish rivers, swamps and marshes.
