Agra, Nov 3 (IANS): A 6-foot-long mugger crocodile was rescued by Wildlife SOS and the Forest Department after it was sighted in Surela village located in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district, spreading panic among the local people.

The animal was later released into the wild.

In the incident earlier this week, residents of Surela village were left in a state of panic after a crocodile was sighted wandering in the neighbourhood. The Forest Department was immediately alerted and in turn, contacted the Wildlife SOS.

A three-member team from the NGO and forest officers rushed to the location to conduct the rescue operation. The crocodile was carefully shifted into a trap cage and later released into its natural habitat.

Wildlife SOS Co-founder and CEO Kartick Satyanarayan said: "The crocodile had reached the village through a canal leading up to the agricultural fields. It isessential that we remain sensitive to the presence of wild animals and learn to co-exist. We are happy to assist the forest department in mitigating man-animal conflict situations."

Director Conservation Projects, Baiju Raj M.V. said: "This is the second crocodile that we've rescued from Jasrana range this month. Operations like this can be quite challenging as the team has to exercise caution while approaching such a large and powerful reptile."

Range Forest Officer, Jasrana, Firozabad, Surendra Saraswat said: "We are glad that the crocodile was safely rescued and released into a more suitable habitat where it can thrive. We are thankful to the Wildlife SOS team for their expert assistance in conducting such sensitive rescue and release missions."

The Mugger crocodile, (Crocodylus Palustris), also called the marsh crocodile, is native to the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Burma, Pakistan and some parts of Iran. It is most commonly found in freshwater environments such as rivers, lakes, hill streams, village ponds, and human-made reservoirs.