A Night with the Reptiles

A relaxed evening by the beach

Stars on earth

 My children had been to the night camp at crocodile bank in Chennai through school on two different years. I didn't know adults could visit too. When a friend asked if we should, I said yes, not quite knowing what it involved. It involved many things, novelty, excitement, relaxation, amazement, fulfillment and introspection.

Can you guess what these lights are? Headlights reflected in the dark?

You are right. On the night walk, when we flashed the lights in the pen that held magar crocodiles, it was like looking at red stars on earth! Amazement personified!

I hoped to catch sight of some snakes roaming free in the camp during the night walk. That didn't happen. We entered a bat-infested cave-like enclosure reluctantly and was rewarded with the sight of a normally sleepy python emerging from a water body in her cage and rub against the metal cage. That is the process of molting - when the skin gets loosened by soaking and then the snake rubs against the hard surface so that the skin can peel. What a beautiful sight.

Getting into action

Oh, that's me, scrubbing the pond in the tortoise pen! Soon after we cleaned it, the biggest male pooed in the pond - as good as tell us to go to hell! That was a hilarious sight!

This brave young man works closely with crocodiles and is feeding the American alligator, which followed him around like a puppy. That was to make it get some exercises, since otherwise the crocs and their brethren do not get enough place to stretch their muscles.

The guide who took us around showing us his work and his creatures had me thinking. He was into many things before he drifted into the crocodile bank. And his choice of profession definitely did not make his family celebrate. Yet, he seemed content. His basic needs taken care of, and maybe a little more to keep his body and soul together, he had chosen a profession that I had not even known existed.

Another girl said she used to just take care of accounts and keep away from the animals. But the way she treated them and moved about, I envied her her fearlessness and confidence.

Awestruck seeing man and Ally the alligator

There was a volunteer who is a lawyer by profession but comes to work with the crocs whenever she can. She said, "I love animals," by way of explanation.

Mere love for animals cannot make one do this! It is something more, some passion, some deep care to take care of the ugliest and creepiest of the animal kingdom.

Most of the crocodile varieties here are facing extinction either due to hunting or their habitats being destroyed. I was reminded of a horrible video about the kind of torture snakes are subjected to for their skins. And I thought of these people, nurturing their wards like their own children, keeping them safe from the greatest of predators - man.