The sighting of a crocodile near Panamaram has spread fear along the banks of River Kabani in Wayanad. A video, which is widely circulated online, shows a recent sighting of a crocodile in a paddy field at Chekkalloor near Panamaram. People are sharing rumours about crocodiles swimming in the flood waters in Panamarampuzha and Mananthavadipuzha (authorities have not verified these claims).

Last year a woman, who was washing clothes in the river at Panamaram, had a narrow escape from a crocodile attack. However, there have not been any other reports of crocodiles attacking humans reported from anywhere in the district.

“For several decades there have been crocodiles in all major rivers of Wayanad,” said Ajayakumar Viswamandiram, an activist from Chekadi, a tribal hamlet surrounded by River Kabani. Viswamandiram said crocodiles have plenty to eat in the rivers that have varied types of fish, otters and other small animals.

According to Viswamandiram, crocodiles swim into the rivers from the Kabini Reservoir at Beechanahalli in Karnataka when the water level rises. The Kabini Reservoir caters to the Nagarahole National Park and the Bandipur National Park.