According to the “Decan Chronicle” report, last month, a group of people were fascinated to see a 12-foot-long crocodile under the Madhusudan Setu Bridge in Odisha, India.
The rare crocodile, a close relative of the crocodile, was seen sunning itself on a beach after drifting far downstream from its usual habitat. Normally it would not be seen so close to the city, so officials from the local forest department monitored the situation to ensure safety.
Meanwhile, onlookers took numerous videos and photos, many of which were shared on social media.
Thankfully, unlike many incidents involving large predators near cities, no one seems to have had a close encounter with this gharial. In other cases, alligators and other large animals can pose a threat to humans who venture too close.
As cities and agricultural areas expand, these encounters appear to be becoming more common. As humans develop more and more of the world, there are fewer and fewer unexplored wild areas available for animals to occupy. Many died, but others ventured into developed areas in search of food and safe hiding places, or simply because they were confused.
Once in developed areas, animals come face to face with humans, and neither party is usually prepared for such an encounter. Both humans and animals can be harmed in this way, and even if both parties escape safely, the animal may need to be euthanized later because it has become too accustomed to humans.
In this case, there is speculation that higher-than-usual water levels in the Mahanadi River pushed the gharials downstream.
As the planet’s temperature rises, leading to more extreme weather, events such as small and even major floods are becoming more common. This is a direct result of air pollution trapping heat in the atmosphere, so one small way we can help prevent animals from leaving their habitats and reduce the risk of encountering dangerous wildlife is to address air pollution.
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