How loud music and strong vibrations killed Madras Crocodile Bank Trust's rare female crocodile

Romulus Whitaker of Madras Crocodile Bank Trust alleges that the animal died due to stress, reportedly because of loud bass music being played at a 5-star property next door
Image courtesy: Facebook
Image courtesy: Facebook

It was recently reported that crocodiles at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust located on East Coast Road in Chennai were under severe stress due to the apparent noise pollution caused by music being played from the adjoining Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, a 5-star property premises on a regular basis. However, recently, things took a turn for the worse, when the Founder of the Madras Crocodile Bank put up a heartbreaking post on social media, stating that one of the bank's four Cuban crocodiles, was found lying on its back, dead. 

In the post, Whitaker alleges that on March 30, a female Cuban croc, a critically endangered species in the World Conservation Union listing, "coinciding with another roaring event at the Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, when heavy bass music was being played in the lawn area." 

Whitaker also says that despite repeated requests, the hotel had refused to lower the volume, and that there was no doubt in his mind that "the animal died as a result of stress caused by the vibrations, and there are precedents to this from the zoo community abroad."

Cuban crocodiles are considered extremely rare and there were four females and one male at the Madras Crocodile Bank. Now with the death of the female, only three females and one male remain. 

Whitaker in his post, also wrote that he is considering moving the crocodiles to another enclosure - "an expensive and difficult undertaking 

Below is the full text of Whitaker's message: 

*This is a developing story. Indulge has reached out to both Romulus Whitaker and the officials at Sheraton Grand Resort & Spa for their official statements. 

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