Colombo Croc that roamed Mount Beach dies

  The Crocodile that was roaming the sea  and beach area of  Colombo was reported dead yesterday evening. The crocodile that was crocodile that was roaming in the sea off Mt.Lavinia, Dehiwala and Colpetty for the past few days attracted large crowds to the beach. Feared by its presence, the local people and fishermen also tried to catch the crocodile on their own using fishing nets. It is feared that hooks in the nets used in these failed attempts have could injure the crocodile. ______________________________________________________________ Visit following links for previous SundayTimes articles on sea-going crocs and crocodiles found in and around Colombo. 1. Crocodile in Dehiwala sea does not spoil fun of two-mile swim – March, 2012 :  2. Offshore Croc has Matara abuzz  3. A croc comes to town – Dec, 2007  4. The saltie that terrorised Rawatawatte – Sept, 2015 ______________________________________________________________ Crocodiles in the sea is not a new find eventhough many believe the saltwater could  harm these reptiles which usually inhabit Rivers and Estuaries. The crocodile seen off Colombo seas is a Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) that shows adaptations to live in saltwater as its name implies. It is known that few crocodiles live a secret life on waterways in Colombo and suburbs and it is believed that the croc could have lost its way to the sea. It is believed that if let along, the crocodile could find its way back to its home as in the case of 2012. The Saltwater Crocodile is tagged as ‘Endangered’ nationally by the 2012 Red List of Threatened species. Such sea-going crocs roaming in same area was reported in 2012 and another was reported in the sea off Matara town in 2011 as reported by Sunday Times. It is mentioned that they ride on the oceanic currents and once in a while come to shore for resting. But this croc has been harassed for days without letting it come to the shore which could also have affected its physical wellbeing. The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)’s veterinary surgeons went to examine the dead body to ascertain the reason for the crocodile’s death. By Malaka Rodrigo | Pics by Adrian Meedeniya __________________________________________________________