The world’s largest reptile, the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), is seeing a spectacular comeback in West Bengal, India’s Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR). The anticipated number of these hypercarnivorous apex predators, saltwater crocodiles thrive in Sundarbans according to the State’s Forest Department’s “Population Assessment and Habitat Ecology Study of Saltwater Crocodiles in Sundarbans 2025,” which was published on August 18, 2025. According to the study, hatchlings in particular are on the upswing, depicting a promising trend for conservation efforts in this special mangrove ecosystem.

Population Growth and Demographic Insights

With an estimated population of 220–242 individuals, the 2025 survey documented that saltwater crocodiles thrive in Sundarbans with 213 sightings. Compared to 2024, when the estimated population was about 204 and 234 individuals, this is a significant growth. In 2025, there were 125 adults, 88 juveniles, and 23 hatchlings, as opposed to 71 adults, 41 juveniles, and just two hatchlings in 2024, according to the demographic split.

It is especially promising that hatchling sightings have increased significantly, which is uncommon in the rugged terrain of the Sundarbans. The encounter rate of 0.18 crocodiles per kilometer, or one crocodile every 5.5 kilometers, indicates how common these animals are throughout the 1,168 kilometers of creeks that were examined, which accounts for 64% of the SBR’s significant stream length.

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Habitat Preferences and Conservation Challenges

In the SBR, saltwater crocodiles can tolerate a wide variety of water salinity in the winter and are found in creeks and rivers with high tide lengths less than 180 meters. Long-term conservation may be at risk, the study cautions, as rising salinity brought on by climate change may jeopardize habitat suitability. Rising sea levels and habitat degradation are two environmental issues that could affect these apex predators, which are vital to the preservation of clean, flowing water habitats in the Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They do this by eating corpses and organic residues.

This population recovery has been made possible in large part by the conservation initiatives of the West Bengal government, notably the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project, which was started in 1976. The effort increased the number of crocodiles in the wild by releasing 577 of them between 1976 and 2022. The 2025 study’s systematic surveys, GPS mapping, and habitat classification illustrate the dedication to monitoring and safeguarding these reptiles.

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