Vadodara: The deadly jaws that come home knocking every monsoon don’t scare Barodians anymore. People have gotten so used to crocodiles that now they post memes of the reptiles on social media . The city’s flooding brought dozens of crocodiles on to roads and many citizens are making light of it.
A video of a woman playing with a young crocodile went viral in the city over the last three days. The 11-second video shows the woman, whose face is unseen, with the young crocodile in her lap, holding its front legs and playing with it like one would with a pet dog. Another popular meme is of Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan carrying a large bound crocodile on his shoulder.
The original scene is from his 1988 film “Ganga Jamuna Saraswati”. Many users shared the photo with the caption ‘Barodians in Monsoons’. “The sight of a crocodile scares people anywhere but not Barodians.
People here have become so used to seeing crocodiles swimming near their homes in the monsoon that now they find humour in it. When I go to rescue crocodiles in Vadodara, I see onlookers standing very close to the reptile. They have no fear now,” said Hemant Vadhwana, a crocodile rescuer.
Another meme titled ‘Crocodile Tourism’ floating on social media has a jolly crocodile image with a ‘special offer’ on a three days and four nights stay in the Sayajigunj, Salatwada, L&T Circle and Ratri Bazaar areas for a crocodile safari, with the offer valid till the flooding lasts. An artificial intelligence (AI) generated image shows a boy with a packet of chips and a cold drink in his hands, sitting on the back of a crocodile swimming through flooded streets of the city. A meme titled ‘VMC ke liye kamaai ka acha mauka’ (a good opportunity for VMC to earn money) is being circulated widely to mock the civic body, which couldn’t reach stranded people.
A few AI-generated images of giant crocodiles with the city’s landmarks in the background are going viral. “I made a video of crocodiles in suits and ties moving around shaking hands with people. The idea is to spread awareness that these reptiles are among us and people shouldn’t harm them.
I thought a bit of humour would do the job,” said Jigar Upadhyay, a crocodile researcher from Ahmedabad. We also published the following articles recently Gujarat rains: 15-feet long crocodile ventures into Vadodara locality In Vadodara, residents of Kamnath Nagar were surprised to find a 15-foot crocodile at their door, having waded through floodwaters from the Vishwamitri River after heavy rains. Forest department volunteers rescued the aggressive reptile after an hour of effort.
Another 11-foot crocodile was also found and rescued from the Sama area owing to the flooding. Crocodiles vs Alligators vs Gharials: Know the key differences, conservation status, habitat and distribution Crocodiles, alligators, and gharials have distinct differences in snout shapes, environments, and feeding habits. They inhabit regions from the United States to India and show unique adaptations.
Conservation statuses differ, with gharials critically endangered and crocodiles and alligators vulnerable, illustrating varied survival challenges. Mind-boggling illusion: Only a sharp eye can find the crocodile on this island A new optical illusion invites viewers to find a hidden crocodile within 10 seconds on a lush green island. Besides offering entertainment, engaging in such brainteasers enhances cognitive functions, including problem-solving skills, memory, and focus.
This exercise challenges people to identify the camouflaged reptile, hidden cleverly among the greenery..
