Vishwamitri River hosts 442 mugger crocodiles amid 2-million-plus Vadodara city.

Key facts

• The Vishwamitri River flows 21 km through Vadodara city, Gujarat, and holds 442 mugger crocodiles according to a 2025 GEER Foundation census.
• The river originates from the Pavagadh Hills and travels nearly 200 km westward before emptying into the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea.
• Major tributaries feeding the river are the Surya, Jambuva and Bhukhi rivers, boosting flow mainly in monsoon months.
• Between Kala Ghoda and Akota Bridge, crocodile density reaches about 44 individuals in just 1.4 km of urban river stretch.
• Monsoon flooding pushes crocodiles onto public roads, residential compounds and even under parked vehicles, causing frequent human-crocodile encounters.
• Pollution discourages human river activities, while fish, stray dogs and pigs provide prey, aiding crocodile survival inside the city.
• The Vishwamitri Riverfront Development Project and the Vaho Vishwamitri Abhiyan aim to clean the river and restore its ecology using drone-supported plantations.