MADRAS CROCODILE BANK, CHENNAI

The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, founded in 1976 by Romulus Whitaker and few other like minded people is a public Trust managed by a Board of Trustees. Starting with 30 mugger adults, the Bank has bred over 5000 and now holds over 2400 crocodilians of 14 different species. By 1987 the Croc Bank developed a much broader focus, and became the Centre for Herpetology, India’s premier institution for herpetofaunal conservation, research and education. Besides hundreds of crocodilians, the Bank currently maintains 12 endangered species of turtles and tortoises, five species of snakes, including the King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah, two species of pythons and albino cobras.