Crocodiles

The numbers from Iran to Myanmar. Today, only a few thousand are scattered in the wild throughout the Indian subcontinent. Now, the last hope for the mugger may lie to the south of India, in the country of Sri Lanka. Rom is headed back to Sri Lanka’s Yala

National Park after almost 30 years to see if the thriving mugger community he remembers is still there.

Rom Whitaker: Really the only chance the mugger has in the wild is here, in Sri Lanka. If they die out here, they’re probably gone for good. To the casual observer, this may not look much like croc country. But hidden in the dry forest are many lakes and ponds

created by an ancient people to irrigate their crops. The people are long gone, but the pools remain. That’s how the world’s largest population of wild muggers has been able to survive. Hey, a baby croc. There you go. There you go. Ah, he’s gorgeous. Look

at those colors. For years I’ve wanted to come back to Yala to see how the mugger is doing. It’s not a well-studied species, so the only way is to see for myself. Finding healthy young ones is a very good omen. But it’s only a start. I won’t really know how things are

until I see how the full-grown mugger are doing.

Track 1.5 F.

Narrator: From this part of Yala National Park, the modern world is not even visible.

Rom Whitaker: This is a time of plenty. There’s enough to eat and drink, and the waters are high. The key to everything here is the water. Plants, trees, animals—they all depend on it. And life changes dramatically when it dries up.

Narrator: The mugger does not make a habit of dining on humans, but any animal coming close to the water to drink better stay on guard. A certain edginess is understandable when 13 feet of reptile could be hidden just beneath the surface of the water. Using its powerful tail, the mugger can reach startling speeds underwater. But its most deadly skill may be patience.

Rom Whitaker: Nighttime is the best time to census crocodiles. Their eye shine gives them away. They can’t help it. The reflective tapetum in their eye refects the light back. It’s really bright. Watch. Man, this place is absolutely teeming with crocodiles. I just

counted 140 crocodiles. Probably give or take 20 or 30. Muggers can be solitary, but there are times of the year when they come together. One such time is for a ritual that can get quite bloody. Contrary to popular legend, muggers are for the most part pretty laid-back, sociable animals. In fact, they spend much of their time just basking in the sun. But when mating season approaches, they’re also intensely territorial, and any spot with deep water is

worth fghting for.

Narrator: The battles are part of a ferce struggle for dominance. The winner gets the prize—his pick of the females. The combat can be very brutal and sometimes fatal. In the fnal stage of the dominance fght, this big male faunts his position by raising his head and tail out of the water. One young male issues a challenge. The big male boldly responds, and the younger croc decides to retreat.

Rom Whitaker: It’s amazing to watch this ritual unfold. These crocs could kill each other—and sometimes do—but in this test of strength, the losers usually live to fght another day.

Narrator: Finally, the last rival is chased out of the pond.

Rom Whitaker: The battle is over; the big male has the pond to himself now. And the stage is set for what’s really important— courtship.

Narrator: The victor has won the right to mate with the local female of his choice.

Rom Whitaker: The male is all set to mate, but nothing is going to happen until she’s good and ready.

Narrator: It is said that in the natural world, the only real constant is change. But muggers have been acting out this ritual for more than 100 million years—since they shared the world with the Tyrannosaurus Rex. If the muggers can continue to live and produce healthy babies in Yala National Park, they can hopefully survive.