The Neyyar wildlife sanctuary in Kerala has been catapulted to international fame with the opening of the Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre in memory of the recently departed Aussie crocodile hunter and environmentalist Steve Irwin. The centre is a feather in the cap for Neyyar Dam-and indeed for Tourism in God's Own Country- which already boasts of a lion safari park, deer park, boating facilities and one of the biggest landscaped gardens in the South. Forest and Tourism authorities are hopeful that the centre would attract more tourists and animal lovers to this popular picnic spot.
This is, incidentally, the first memorial in the world for Steve Irwin, famous for his fearless and tender handling of even the deadliest of wildlife species. 44-year-old Irwin ws tragically killed by a sting ray attack off the Great Barrier Reef in September 2006.
A life-size plaque of Irwin with a crocodile welcomes visitors to the centre, set up by the Department of Forest and Wildlife at Markunnam in the sanctuary. With the shifting of 25 muggers(Crocodylus palustris) from the adjacent crocodile farm, the Centre has now been thrown open to the public.The Rehabilitation and research centre has been set up as per the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority.
Two artificial ponds have been artificially created for the muggers, and a third one os in the offing as more of them arrive. Chief Wildlife Warden and Chief Conservator of Forests, V.S.Varghese made it clear that literature on different species of crocodiles will be made available to visitors at the Centre.
It is intended to equip the Centre, running of which has been entrusted with the local Eco Development Committee, to study the behavioural aspects of the muggers. The food and other aspects of the crocodiles are taken care of by the forest authorities.