The
mugger crocodile (
Crocodylus palustris = "crocodile of the
marsh"), also called the
Indian,
Indus,
Persian,
marsh crocodile or simply
mugger, is found throughout the
Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries, like Pakistan where the
Sindhu crocodile is the
national reptile of Pakistan. It is one of the three
crocodilians found in
India, the others being the
gharial and the
saltwater crocodile. It is a medium-sized crocodile that mostly inhabits freshwater
lakes,
ponds, sluggish
rivers,
swamps and
marshes. Males of the species are said to grow up to in length. As with other crocodilians, females are smaller. The mugger crocodile has the broadest
snout of any
extant crocodile, giving it an alligator-like appearance. It is a more heavily armored species with enlarged
scutes around the neck. Adults are dark grey or brown, while
hatchlings are tan colored.