The crocodile needs to be taken care of and not allowed to die like the Dodo. Recent events in Australia are a warning and action must be taken to conserve the crocodile.
The crocodile is an endangered species
There is a lot of news of a lion killed in Zimbabwe by a trophy hunter. This was a despicable act, but the Western world is not without blame in this regard. I’m talking about wildlife conservation. In Australia recently, authorities found the heads of 70 crocodiles stuffed in a freezer. Hunting a crocodile is prohibited in Australia and can carry a 5-year prison sentence.
Crocodiles are a protected species in Australia and only a few die if they become a danger to human habitation. Therefore, the authorities have to answer how the crocodile heads appeared in the freezer. So far no arrests have been made and one can only hope that some action will follow.
Another fact that I can’t digest is people eating crocodile meat. This is beyond a man’s imagination. A friend wrote to me that Crocodile meat is served everywhere in the USA. I was told that alligator meat is a delicacy in the US state of Louisiana, the alligator variety. Tail meat is more expensive. One can get ‘Alligator Burger’ or ‘Smoked Alligator Sausage’ and other preparations at some of the restaurants, more available in the ‘French Market’ area along the Mississippi River in the city of New Orleans.
There are also alligator farms where they are bred and raised only for commercial purposes (human consumption). Alligator heads (after taxidermy) from very small to large are displayed and sold in different shops as souvenirs. The cost varies between $15 and $50. Visitors are naturally surprised to see that the inhabitants consume alligator meat. NatGeo channel shows ‘alligator hunting’ Could it be that Australia has a similar culture in some parts?
Eating meat per se should be avoided, but consuming crocodile meat is definitely pushing things too far.
I feel the crocodile hunting needs to stop. You can’t kill one in India, where wildlife laws are strict, but aberrations do occur. Speaking of crocodiles, their skin is worth a fortune in the fashion market with women in the lead. It’s about time this stopped. Crocodiles have almost become extinct in China. We cannot allow this to happen elsewhere.
There is an anomaly and it is Florida where crocodiles abound. That other side of the story.