11 Baby Crocodiles Rescued From Water Tank Near Vihar Lake in Mumbai's Bhandup

Eleven Indian marsh crocodile (mugger) hatchlings were rescued from a water tank at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) water treatment complex near Vihar Lake in Mumbai's eastern suburb of Bhandup during a pre-monsoon maintenance operation, officials said on Saturday.

The hatchlings were discovered while workers were carrying out routine pre-monsoon cleaning and maintenance of the water tank. After noticing several young crocodiles trapped inside the facility, the workers immediately alerted the Maharashtra Forest Department .

A joint rescue operation was launched by the Forest Department and the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) , whose rescuers safely captured all 11 hatchlings without any injuries to people or the animals. The rescued crocodiles are expected to undergo a health assessment before being released into an appropriate natural habitat in accordance with wildlife protocols.

The incident comes less than a week after two juvenile Indian marsh crocodiles were rescued from another tank within the same BMC water treatment complex in Bhandup, indicating repeated crocodile movement in the Vihar Lake ecosystem during the onset of the monsoon .

Wildlife experts note that crocodile sightings around the Vihar, Powai and Tulsi lake region are not uncommon during the rainy season, when rising water levels and interconnected drainage channels can cause reptiles to stray into nearby civic infrastructure. However, forest officials have not confirmed how the hatchlings entered the tank or whether an adult crocodile is present in the vicinity.

Authorities have urged residents and workers in areas surrounding Vihar Lake to avoid approaching crocodiles and to immediately inform the Forest Department if any sightings are reported.