Mugger Rescued From Village Pond A Year After It Moved Away From Satkosia Sanctuary In Odisha

Angul: A mugger was reportedly rescued from a pond at a village in Odisha’s Angul district today, around a year after it entered the water body.

The mugger, a variety of harmless freshwater crocodile, had been in pond at Purunakot for around a year, as per information given by villagers.

The mugger was believed to have moved away from Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary in Mahanadi river during a flood-like situation in the rainy season of last year.

Villagers believe that the mugger might have landed in the pond after travelling around 10 km in a canal during rainy season last year. Since then, the freshwater crocodile had been in the pond. Though the villagers were in a state of fear, the mugger did not cause harm to anyone.

Necessary steps were taken by the Forest department to rescue the mugger from the pond recently and the reptile was finally rescued with the help of a net.

The mugger, which was rescued by using a net, will be released in Mahanadi river water after a routine health checkup, said a  Forest department official.