Two marsh crocodiles born in Thiruvananthapuram zoo

One of the newborn male marsh crocodile in Thiruvananthapuram zoo. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Two male marsh crocodiles, also known as mugger, were born in the city zoo on Wednesday to a mugger brought from the Shivamogga zoo in Karnataka November last.

The eggs were laid by the mugger after digging holes in sand on February 26. As these are cold-blooded animals, the female does not incubate the eggs. Eggs are laid on the banks of the waterbody they reside in. These hatch as a result of sun’s heat and the warm environment.

The sex of the mugger hatchlings is determined by the incubation temperature of the eggs. It is also influenced by humidity.

Zoo veterinary surgeon Nikesh Kiran examined the newborn muggers and shifted them to a specially created pond. They were healthy, zoo authorities said.

The hatchlings do not eat during the first two weeks after coming out the eggs. They survive on the nutrients accumulated in their body during their time inside the egg. They they begin feeding on small fish.

The birth of the two marsh muggers is significant as these are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, a statement quoting Thiruvananthapuram zoo director Manjula Devi said.

Published - May 29, 2025 11:14 pm IST