Abstract
The mugger or marsh crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), belonging to family Crocodylidae is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries. It is one of the two crocodilians species found in Pakistan, the other being the Gharial or Gavial which is categorized as extinct in captivity/wild due to habitat loss and poaching. The different bio ecological aspects of marsh crocodile such as status, housing, food, feeding/breeding behavior, parental care, medical issues and conservation efforts in captivity of Karachi Zoo were studied during the period March 2007 to March 2009. As cold-blooded predators, C. palustris can survive long periods without food. Female egg size and clutch size were inversely related. The female shows a high degree of parental care behavior. In case of any danger female protects the hatchlings in her mouth. Crocodiles suffered from infections very rarely.
