Baby crocs stolen from sanctuary

At least 43 baby crocodiles have been stolen from the country's lone wildlife breeding centre at the East Sundarbans in Bagerhat.

The reptiles -- all about one-year-old -- were found missing on February 1 morning when staff at Karamjol Crocodile Breeding Centre did a count of its 277 crocodiles, said Mehedizzaman, assistant conservator of forest at Chandpai ranges under the east wing of the Sundarbans Forest Division.

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No evidence has been found of any carnivorous animal entering the centre and preying on the baby crocodiles and so it is most likely that they were stolen and smuggled out, he said.  

“An organised syndicate might have been involved in the crime.”

Zakir Hossain, a temporary employee of the wildlife sanctuary, has been sacked and a forest department worker, Mahbub Hossain suspended in connection with the incident, said Divisional Forest Officer Md Saidul Islam.

Informed of the missing crocodiles, Saidul visited the centre and formed a three-member committee with Mehedizzaman as the head to look into the matter. The committee was asked to submit a report by Sunday.

On submission of the probe report, legal action will be taken against those responsible, and that would include filing of a departmental case, Saidul said. 

The wildlife breeding centre was established in 2002 at a cost of about Tk 32 lakh at Karamjol in Chandpai ranges for breeding and preserving salt-water crocodiles.